I was very busy at work today. I didn’t stop to rest for a second, as I wanted to get a lot of organizing done and certain other tasks out of the way in anticipation of the busy weekend ahead. As I was working, the gentlest voice spoke within my heart. He said to me, “Come into My garden.” I smiled to myself as I thought what a beautiful invitation this was. It wasn’t just the words, but the feeling behind the words. When your Master calls, there is a feeling like none other. After a pause He spoke again. “Don’t go out tonight. Come into My garden.” And then again a moment later, “Come into My garden.”Is this the first time this has happened? No. I have felt the wooing of my Lord before. But every time it’s like being asked out on a first date all over again. For each of us the Lord’s garden is something unique and special, only meant for us and Him. He prepares a place for us as if we were the only person He chose to visit in this manner.
I then began to picture what this garden would look like. I had imagined other, different gardens before. But today, I imagined a small, beautiful garden with small quiet fountains and many flowers. Especially roses… my favorite. I happen to like Japanese gardens in particular, and I think I was imagining something like this. I thought of dew on bright green plants and a light mist gently falling, and then slowly parting so we could see each other. I pictured a quiet place with much peace. Perhaps no words even had to be spoken between us for a time.
Beyond the physical beauty of the place, there is the excitement and the expectation that comes. We might say to ourselves, “I wonder what He wants to say to me? I wonder what we will talk about?
After I finished working today, I actually went to a couple of garden shops so I could walk around and enjoy the flowers and plants. I was also shopping for this coming Sunday, which is Mother’s Day. Even walking around in a place like this, I could relax and feel at peace. What is it about a garden that is so special? Is it a reminder to us of a place we once occupied, in complete and perfect union with God? That beautiful place that Jesus left, to rescue us and bring us back to Him?
Go to Him. He waits for each and every one of us to behold Him as He really is. This is the only way we can see ourselves and others as He truly meant for us and them to be. How can we say we love God if we do not love others? How can we say we truly love others, if we do not love God? Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15: 4-5)
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 12-13)
" No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15: 15)
