Good morning…
I had never read these words in the Bible until right now. “In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life,” James 1:21 (MSG). What a simple, humble image of God’s organic growth.
When I hear the word “landscape,” I initially think noun. As a noun, landscape means vista, scenery, panoramic view. Yet, in the passage above, landscape is a verb, meaning to improve the aesthetic appearance of a piece of land by changing its contours, adding ornamental features, or planting trees, shrubs, or flowers. God, our gardener, landscapes each one of us uniquely with the living Word. Our life becomes a salvation-garden, with our Creator contouring in us beautiful blooms, shapely shrubs, and fresh fruits grown to save the world.
A key word in this verse is “let.” In simple humility, you and I must “let” our gardener-God landscape.
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live, 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (MSG),
Sue
