Good morning…
Weeding through our overgrown ivy a few weekends back, I uncovered an old gift. This stained, clay square reads, “A garden of friends is always in bloom.” On my fifty-eighth birthday, I sense this is true.
Just as flowering occurs naturally in the garden, to my quiet amazement friendships bloom beautifully. Investing time together may cultivate growth. Closely walking and talking with others through grief, hardship, tragedy can nurture life-giving bonds. Abiding with God side by side, we might marvel at the abundance which appears over time. Yet as I age, an enduring truth grows increasingly clear. Human effort alone cannot blossom friends. This means the one who plants is not anybody special, nor the one who waters, for God is the one who brings the supernatural growth (1 Corinthians 3:7, TPT).
With hope, we invest time together. In trust, we walk and talk closely through grief, hardship, and tragedy. Over time, we abide with God, side by side. As we plant ourselves with others we are not anyone special. As we water seeds of possibility, we are given no guarantees. God is the One who orchestrates supernatural growth.
I love birthdays, anniversaries, and annual holidays. They cause me to pause, admiring the lush garden God is growing among us. Some friendships have diminished this year, others have blossomed in strength, and still others are tried and true, dependable perennials. As we trust the great Gardener to orchestrate supernatural growth, what friends do we notice blooming in our garden this year?
Deeply grateful, we continue to invest time with friends, walking and talking closely, abiding side by side. Then we wait. We wonder. We witness God. Christ is the head, and the whole body depends on him. Because of Christ all the parts of the body care for each other and help each other. So the body is made stronger and held together as God causes it to grow (Colossians 2:19, ERV).
…Sue…
