by Linda Veath

Over and over, I hear people commenting about working in their gardens. How they love spending time there because they feel close to God—relaxed and at peace. And though a novice at gardening, I know what it is to feel that joy and peace.

The first garden—the Garden of Eden—was perfect in every way. Adam and Eve lived there in beautiful fellowship with the Lord. How comforting it must have been to hear Him walking in the garden, looking for them. How special to be caretakers of His garden. Yet Adam and Eve ultimately succumbed to the wiles of the devil, rebelled against the Lord, and were expelled from this beautiful and peaceful place.

But the plan of the Lord for our salvation had begun to unfold, leading to another garden—Gethsemane—where Jesus spent time in prayer, pleading with His Heavenly Father to take the cup of suffering away.

And it wasn’t the last garden. After Christ’s death on the cross, His body was laid in a new tomb, in a garden close to Golgotha. He had finished His Father’s work, conquering death and the grave. Three days later, He rose from the dead. Hallelujah!

Garden of Gethsemane / Modern Jerusalem

But that’s not the end. There will yet be one more garden as God’s plan is completed. Its location? New Jerusalem. God gives us a glimpse of it in Revelation 22:1-5 HCSB.

Then He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street

[of the city]. On both sides of the river was the tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and … they will reign forever and ever.

Gardens past. A garden to come. All a part of our salvation. No wonder we love to work in them and find God’s peace there. There is just something about a garden.

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