Tuesday, September 4, 2007

God Believes in Me?


“Now no shrub of the field as yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth; and there was no man to cultivate the ground.”…The Lord God planted a garden toward the east toward Eden...” Genesis 2:5,8

God designed and planted a garden in Eden. I can’t imagine how incredibly breath taking that garden must have been. When I think of gardens of beauty, I think of the gardens that artist Claude Monet cultivated with it’s many monochromatic plantings of flowers (photo). Many of Monet’s masterpieces emanated from that garden. The gardens at Giverny, France would pale in comparison to a garden that God designed, planted, and then, walked. (Genesis 3:8)

In one sense it seems unbelievable that the plants hadn’t sprouted in part because there were no human hands present to do their part which was cultivating the ground so the plants might flourish. Could God have cultivated the ground with a spoken word? Of course. He spoke the entire world into being – digging up some dirt wouldn’t be much of a feat for the Almighty one. But it was God’s desire that we have a significant role in carrying out His plans. He doesn’t need us, but He most certainly wants us in a big way. God shows us incredible value by not just loving us in the sense of adoring us and having great affection for us. He includes us in His work and in doing so communicates: you are significant…you are important, and I have a job I need you to do. Amazingly, God chose and designed ways that we would work in partnership with Him to accomplish His will. God believes in me…what a wonder. Now, that makes me feel loved!

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