How Does Your Garden Grow?

Pastor Don Smith has been teaching us about learning to be human beings instead of human doings.  In other words, allowing God to reign and rule in our lives by demonstrating His love through us and interacting through us with His creation.  It is receiving His grace and mercy without living under condemnation and feeling as if we need to do something for God in order to receive His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  We need to “be” so that He can “do”.

It often gets muddled up in my mind what it means, practically speaking, to be a human being instead of a human doing.  Does that mean I do nothing?  How much should I do or not do?  Am I doing too much?  Am I doing too little?  And if God’s grace and forgiveness are free, then how much responsibility do I have to live a “godly” life?  Where is the line between religious rules and godliness?  I’ll say it before you do, I think waaaaaaaaay to much!  I am thankful that God is a patient Father and always has time to answer the questions of this child!

This morning He spoke to me as I was watering my flowers.  If I want my flowers to stay beautiful, then I must be responsible enough to water them, pinch off the dead heads, and care for them.  If I choose to not care for my flowers, then they will still be flowers, but they will be dead ones and will not show off the beauty they were created to be.  If I want the garden of my life to stay beautiful, then I must be responsible enough to water my life with the Word, pinch off the dead heads of poisonous thoughts, and tear out the choking weeds of sin.  This is not to be legalistic nor would it be following any religious rules or regulations.  It would be taking responsibility for my life in Christ.  My life in Christ is free.  He has redeemed me and made me righteous and pure.  But I still have the responsibility to line myself up with His life which is in me.  If something does not line up with Him, then it is my responsibility to get rid of it.  If I choose not to be responsible in my Christian walk, then I will be a dead Christian, my life not showing off the beauty of Christ that it was created to demonstrate.