“And the Lord God took the man and put him in the
Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)
The Garden of Eden was man’s ideal environment. God set Adam in the garden and gave him explicit directions. He had to maintain, tend to, guard and keep it. Here, we see work enjoined. The word ‘tend’ means to ‘work, care for, or serve.’ To ‘keep’ means to ‘guard, observe, give heed and protect.’ Before the Fall, this work was not tedious, but enjoyable. It was never meant to be drudgery, but of course, sin changed everything.
Adam’s occupation was to take care of the garden God had entrusted to his care. It had only been started. What God had done was absolutely and without a doubt, exquisite, but He wanted them to carry on and finish it. At this point, there were only seeds in the earth. Genesis 2:5 says, ‘there were no plants or grain growing on the earth because the LORD God had not sent any rain. And no one was there to cultivate the soil.” Adam was put there to enjoy unbroken fellowship and communion with the Father and to make the garden better.
We can glean a spiritual concept from this. I Corinthians 3:9 says, “you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation.” Also, 1 Peter 1:23 says we are born of incorruptible seed. Our relationship with Christ is a garden that must be cultivated, tended to, guarded and cared for on a continual basis. God has a part and we have a part. Philippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.” And yet, at the same time, we are admonished to ‘work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ (Philippians 2:12). This work is not drudgery because his commandments ‘are not grievous’ (I John 5:3).
This can be applied to all relationships, but especially with God. Our garden must be tended and kept to make it strong and productive. If not, just like any garden, it will deteriorate and be overrun with weeds and become an eyesore. Are you tending to your garden? Are you carefully weeding out hurts, offenses, wounds? Are you allowing the pruning of the Lord? Are you daily watering the seed with the water of the Word of God? Is your garden getting enough SON-light in worship and prayer? Tend and keep your garden and produce the fruit of righteousness.
Adam’s occupation was to take care of the garden God had entrusted to his care. It had only been started. What God had done was absolutely and without a doubt, exquisite, but He wanted them to carry on and finish it. At this point, there were only seeds in the earth. Genesis 2:5 says, ‘there were no plants or grain growing on the earth because the LORD God had not sent any rain. And no one was there to cultivate the soil.” Adam was put there to enjoy unbroken fellowship and communion with the Father and to make the garden better.
We can glean a spiritual concept from this. I Corinthians 3:9 says, “you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation.” Also, 1 Peter 1:23 says we are born of incorruptible seed. Our relationship with Christ is a garden that must be cultivated, tended to, guarded and cared for on a continual basis. God has a part and we have a part. Philippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.” And yet, at the same time, we are admonished to ‘work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ (Philippians 2:12). This work is not drudgery because his commandments ‘are not grievous’ (I John 5:3).
This can be applied to all relationships, but especially with God. Our garden must be tended and kept to make it strong and productive. If not, just like any garden, it will deteriorate and be overrun with weeds and become an eyesore. Are you tending to your garden? Are you carefully weeding out hurts, offenses, wounds? Are you allowing the pruning of the Lord? Are you daily watering the seed with the water of the Word of God? Is your garden getting enough SON-light in worship and prayer? Tend and keep your garden and produce the fruit of righteousness.
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