In the Garden

Gardening 101

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“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1 NLT

Maybe because I have been a lifelong gardener, my favorite hymn has always been “In the Garden”. Though theologians say it sounds more like a love song than a hymn and teenagers just roll their eyes wondering when it will be over, I still love those words. “And He walks with me and He talks with me,” is an invitation Jesus makes every morning, for us to spend time with Him in the garden of prayer. If you tarry you can almost hear Him calling your name, just like He called His disciples to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Because we cannot see God now, except by faith, prayer is a blessing unique to our life on earth. In Heaven we will see Jesus face to face, but now we may only hear His voice from a distance, and yet even then, it is so sweet that the birds hush their singing at its sound. I hope you will be blessed listening to this song. I sense the presence of the Gardener of Heaven, almost every time I get to sing it!

Meeting Jesus In the Garden

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Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. John 20:14 ESV

Did you know that in the old hymn, “In the Garden” the place which Austin Miles wrote of was not just some bed of roses, but rather the garden where Jesus rose. Though many dismiss the lyrics as overly sentimental, I find that, the words “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own,” actually outline the three elements of communion.

There are many parts of a worship service, but the most important, is neither the singing nor the preaching but rather the presence of Jesus. Jesus has kept His church alive for 2,000 years and He comes most clearly to meet us in the communion. As the lyrics say, “And He walks with me.” Jesus died and rose again and in that moment He walked once again in the garden with Mary. He came while she was alone, weeping and looking for Him. Next the lyrics say, “And He talks with me.” For two thousand years, Jesus has been speaking. “This is my body which is given for you.” and “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.” echo down through time, Every time we receive them, we hear His voice again.

Lastly, Mary falls down to worship. The Bible tells us that at the end of the Last Supper, Jesus sang a hymn with His friends. Just as Mary bowed and the disciples sang, there is a joy filled pause after we have received the bread and the cup. They remind us again that “the joy we share as we tarry there, none other, has ever known!”  

Praying for Our Grandchildren

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Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord teach us to pray as John as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 ESV

Notice in today’s verse that learning to pray, was more the hallmark of being a disciple than learning to preach. Of course, we all know by heart the Lord’s prayer, which Jesus used to give us a pattern for our prayers. But if we could back up the bus just a bit, we would see that Jesus’ primary method of teaching prayer was by His example. Remember, that when Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus took His closest disciples with Him. He didn’t need them to help Him pray. He needed them to be with Him so that they could learn to pray. When I look at my grandchildren today and think of what heritage I will leave behind, I hope it will be that they remember I prayed for them. One of our grandsons is far away from God right now, but when we saw him last week, we put our arms around him and told him that we love him and are praying for him every day. Do I think he listened? Maybe not – but I do know that when God answers our prayers that he will remember. We must never give up praying for our children and grandchildren. We must not give up praying for our neighborhoods, our communities and our nation. If we leave nothing else behind let’s leave behind prayers so big that will be answered after we are with Jesus. This week’s video includes two of my favorite hymns on prayer – In the Garden and Sweet Hour of Prayer. Have a blessed weekend everybody!