God's Field

Each morning, I grab my first cup of coffee and head outside to check my garden.  Each plant gets my attention as I assess its health and overall appearance.  Does it look like it's thriving?  Is it beginning to wilt a little?  Does it like its present location, or is it asking to be moved?  Does it need to be moved to the nursery where I'll give it extra care until it re-gains its strength? 

I know each one by name, and I also know its strength and weaknesses.  I know whether it likes the sun or needs more shade.  I know how tall it will grow, and so have selected just the right spot where it can grow to its full potential. 

I like to think of God the Father as the Master Gardener who each days reviews our current situation---He sees when we are failing in strength and sends someone or something to boost our reserves.  He sees when we are thriving and need only His gaze of sunshine to continue doing so.  He knows exactly when we need to be moved from our current location, not only for our health, but also for the health of other plants around us.

In the Book of Nehemiah, the Holy Spirit is pictured as one of the Israelite captives in Babylon, who is grieving over the situation of his people in Jerusalem.  [The name Nehemiah comes from the same Hebrew root as "Noah," and it means "comfort."  In the New Testament, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit "The Comforter."]  When a messenger from Jerusalem comes to report to Nehemiah, the cup-bearer to the king of Babylon, he says this:

Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace.  The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.

In other words, the Jewish remnant that survived were extremely vulnerable to being once again over-run by their enemies; they had no defense.  Nehemiah is so grieved that, after praying, he courageously asks the king to send him back to Jerusalem so that he can rebuild and fortify its walls.  He goes further to ask whether he can request timber and other resources from the king's supplies. 

When Nehemiah arrives, he first does a survey by night so that the enemies of Jerusalem will not realize what he is up to.  He notices all the broken-down places in the walls and the gates which have been destroyed by fire.  When he is ready to begin re-building, he at last speaks to the officials and people, motivating them to take up the work he assigns to each one, and providing supplies for the task.  Some are appointed to guard the others while they work, so that they will have nothing to fear once they lay down their weapons.

The Book of Nehemiah is a wonderful story of how the Holy Spirit hovers over us, grieving over our broken-down walls, and silently begins the task of re-building our personalities.  In I Corinthians 3:9, Paul says, "you are God's field, God's building."  If I watch so carefully over the health of my garden, can God do any less watching over His field, His building?