The Garden

Gen 2:8-9   8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Gen 2:15-17   15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
NIV

Why did God create a garden?  The way I see it, the garden became the focal point of God’s relationship with man, or with man’s relationship with God.  How God created it, and why, gives us a glimpse of how we, as God’s created beings, should look at life.  The garden was where God initially placed the first man.  How He made it would show man how God wanted him to live.

BEAUTY

9 And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye…

God didn’t just fill the garden with trees and plants, He made them pleasing to the eye.  It’s interesting how the concept of beauty comes from the Lord.  When we plant gardens in our homes we always want them to be beautiful, so that they are pleasing to our eyes, and to those who visit our homes.  It’s nice to know that God Himself first thought of this.  Imagine when Adam first opened his eyes, as he looked in wonder at all the beauty that God wrought in nature.

The beauty of nature, of created things, should always bring our hearts back to the One who created them.  Sad to say many stand in awe of the beauty of nature, and just stop there.  We’ve even invented the term “Mother Nature”.  The beauty of nature is meant to lead us back to the Creator, and give Him glory.

PROVISION

9 And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food

The Lord also made the trees good for food.  Adam didn’t have to ask.  God knew that he would need something to eat.  So He provided for him.

This is the same God we trust in.  There are times when we pray we doubt whether He does know our needs, or whether He will provide for us.  But as far back as creation the Lord already shows us that He is concerned for us.

WORK

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

The moment the garden was prepared the Lord placed the man in it.  To what?  To sit back, relax and enjoy the view?  No.  He placed the man to work it and take care of it.  Other versions say “to tend it and keep it”.  This is what work was meant to be – something that we tend, care for, and protect.  Why?

First, we believe that work comes from God.  It is the Lord who provides for the work that we have now.  Not man, not a company.  God.

Second, we are to be good stewards of what God has given us.

Because of sin work has become “toil”.  But if we treat work as a blessing from the Lord, and recognize that we are to care for it and keep it, work becomes more than just a way to make money.  It becomes an avenue to see God’s faithfulness, and for Him to build up our character and faith.

COMMAND

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Then God gave them a command.  This becomes the very foundation, the very heart, of mans relationship with God.  It was man’s disobedience to God’s command that destroyed their relationship.  This was all that God wanted from man – his obedience.

Obedience to God’s command was all that God wanted man to be concerned about.  He took care of the beauty, provisions and work.  And yet, today, man concerns himself with his beauty, provisions and work, and makes his relationship with God his last priority.  But this was not how it was meant to be.

All God was asking was to obey.  And here we see the very purpose of the garden.  First it was to be a source of blessing.  Second, it was to be the setting for God to test man.

The blessings that God bestows upon us also become the very object that the Lord tests us with.  He blesses us with finances, but will test if we spend it wisely.  He blesses us with promotion at work, but will test us if we remain faithful to Him.  He blesses us with success, but tests us if we allow success to take His place.  God tests us to make sure that our allegiance is not on the blessing, but on the “BLESSER”.

Thus, each one of us is provided with our own “garden” today.  He blesses us with our “beauty”, with provisions and with our work.  But let’s make sure the foundation of our life are not what we enjoy in this garden of ours, but in our relationship with Him.

THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT…

Matt 26:40-41  40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
NIV

Yes, you read the title correctly - “the spirit is willing, but…”.  Many Christians say this, mostly in our hearts.  Yes our spirit is willing to follow the Lord, to walk in His ways, to obey.  “But”.  That’s the sad word.  It is many times followed by a “but”.  And it is what follows after the word “but” that causes us to disobey what God has been speaking to our spirit, prompting us to obey.  My spirit wants to walk in righteousness with you, Lord, but…my friends want me with them, doing the same things.  My spirit knows I should not compromise in my business, Lord, but…I need the money, and that’s what everyone else is doing.  My spirit knows that I should be praying for someone in my life who walks in the Spirit and loves you, but…he/she is just so cute, and we’re so “bagay” together (with the Kris A accent please, hehe).

All these “buts” (yes, I know it sounds funny, just keep reading!) hindering the willingness of our spirit to walk with the Holy Spirit.  How do we overcome this?

Most of the time, if not all the time, Jesus taught His disciples through His example.  The story in Matthew 26:36-46 is one of those stories where both the Lord’s example and teaching were meant to teach His disciples an important lesson.

Our Lord knew that the time had come where He was to be crucified, put to death in what was the most painful and horrible way of death during the time of the Roman Empire – crucifixion.  A death reserved only for the worst of criminals.  And by this time the humanity of our Lord started coming out.

Matt 26:36-38  36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."  37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

First, His emotions started taking over - “he began to be sorrowful and troubled”.  And we all know how our emotions will take over our logic and actions.  Jesus Himself said “my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow…”.   And then He started praying:

Matt 26:39  39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

This is probably the strongest proof of the humanity of our Lord – He wanted out!  “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me”.  Translated loosely - “if possible, can we change our mind about this?”.  The reality of the pain, the sorrow, started eating Him up.  He started thinking of the possibility of not doing what He was called to do.

But He was in Gethsemane.  And He was there to pray.  As Jesus faced the hardest trial of his human life, He went to a garden to come face to face with His Father.  He opened His heart as to how He was feeling, but His heart was also open to what His Father had for Him.  And this is where He got His strength.

Yet not as I will, but as you will.  Your will Father, not mine.

How many times do we find ourselves in the same situation.  All of a sudden the force of temptation stands before us;  the hardship of the trial becomes real;  the pressure of persecution gets to us.  And we want to quit.  We want to stop.  The example of Jesus stands for us to follow.

Matt 26:40-41 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

The command of the Lord was clear:  “Stay here and keep watch with me”.  But when Jesus returned to where they were they were asleep.  They were not doing as He asked them.  I’m sure they wanted to.  But this was not acceptable to the Lord.  (This should change our minds the next time we say “but Lord I really wanted to, but…)

And the Lord’s teaching was clear – watch and pray…  Yes, our spirit is always willing, but the flesh is indeed weak.  From the human point of view our flesh is strong.  Have you noticed that, when it comes to sin, our bodies are so alive and eager to do what sin asks it to do?  That’s how strong it is.  But from the spiritual point of view the body is weak – why?  Because it just follows what it feels, what it wants to do.  And it is weak because it seeks to do what is opposite God’s will.

This is also when a Christian is weak – when he just follows what his body wants to do.  Whether it’s temptation to sin, or losing our faith in trials, or giving in to compromise – we are weak when we allow the flesh to take over.  Yes, our spirit is strong in the sense that it knows what our Father’s will is, and strongly desires to obey it, to do it.  You know that “fire”, the zeal and eagerness in our hearts to walk with the Lord, and to love Him with all our heart?  That’s what makes the spirit strong.  But it easily falls into weakness because of the pull of the flesh.  Our flesh fights it, goes against it.  The weakness of the flesh pulls down our spirit, wanting it to fall into the same weakness it is in. 

When this happens, what should we do?  Jesus said it clearly - WATCH AND PRAY.

WATCH.  Be aware of the strength and influence of your emotions.  The moment fear comes in, begin to watch!  The moment self-confidence comes in, begin to watch!  The moment pressure from friends, colleagues, or society comes in, begin to watch!  Be aware of the power and influence of love, of hate, of pleasure.  Be alert with regards to everything that is happening around you, and in your heart.  And then fight it.  Stay spiritually awake!  How?

PRAY.  The battle is fought and won in prayer.  Not while we confront sin.  Many Christians fall because they confront sin, but they have lost the battle because they have not prayed.  Many Christians think that because they have perfect attendance on Sunday, or serve the Lord 24/7, or even know every important doctrine there is to know, that when confronted by the flesh they shall win.  But it is not in these things that we are strong – we are strong when we pray, when we spend times of prayer with our Lord.

Come before your Heavenly Father.  Pour out your heart to Him, just as Jesus did.  And submit, just as Jesus did.  Yet not my will, but Yours be done, Lord!  Be filled with the knowledge of His will.  God wants you walking in righteousness, enjoying the peace and joy of holy living.  He wants you trusting totally in Him, and not in yourself.  He wants you enjoying Him, and not just your friends.

You may feel like giving up.  But look for your “Gethsemane”, and pour out your heart to the Lord.  Allow Him to fill your heart with His will, knowing that it is the best for you.  And just as our Lord was refreshed and revived spiritually, and eventually went to bear our sins on the cross, we, too, will be able to say “Our spirit was willing, AND WE DID IT!”.  No “buts”.  No excuses.

Only in His presence, only by His grace and strength, as we watch and pray, shall we have His victory.  WATCH AND PRAY.