Lent and the Garden

In the first chapter of the Bible (Genesis 1:1-2:3) we have the story of creation. Most Christians are familiar with the story of God creating everything in six days. As you recall that passage, what words would you think might occur most often in the creation story? "Earth" would be a good guess. Sure the words "day" and "good" occur seven times. If you take the text of the entire narrative and create a word-cloud with the relative size of the words dependent on how many times they were used you get a graphic like the one below.



Can you find "man" in this Wordle based on the text of Genesis 1:1 - 2:3?

Like the caption says, can you find "man" in this graphic? You may need to magnify your view of this page. Still no luck...I will put a clue at the bottom of this page. However, the relative size perhaps contains an important lesson for us.

I like this graphic because it shows us pretty clearly that the most prominent player in creation is God. In 34 verses, "God" is mentioned 34 times. He is the hero or primary protagonist in this passage. Here in this word-cloud it doesn't take much imagination to picture God as Creator whirling all that he has made above his head like so much pizza dough!

And yet, having taken a step back from our respective western-culturally shaped dominant-culture God-complexes, we can humbly acknowledge that God did what he did to prepare a land for his people. He wisely and lovingly formed environments and then filled them. He did not make what he has made to be empty (Isaiah 45:18).

So when we read further into Genesis 2 we see the cosmic and terrestrial focus has further narrowed to focus on the creation of mankind and his placement in the garden. Here "man" is much easier to find.

So why play with all these words? Isn't it just a waste of time? Perhaps it is, yet I like to think that we are more than just an insignificant speck in the universe. When we allow God to shape us and to place us in the garden he has for us to work, we can be more than we ever dreamed we could be. When we respond to his loving-kindness with joyful obedience, the plot of ground he has given us to take care of will produce amazing fruit that will bless many. When we make ourselves the center of the universe we forfeit the abundant goodness of God's creative work on our behalf and our lives produce only bitter wild grapes (Isaiah 5:1-5) and as they say in Israel, "use up the ground" instead of "keeping" it well.

I am writing this during the season of Lent leading up to the church's celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. Our unseasonably warm weather has caused the grass and the weeds to grow vigorously in my yard. It is still February and I have had to start regular mowing and weeding already. It is a picture of Lent. To turn the phrase, it causes me to remember that our days and seasons are borrowed from the Lord and not our own. They must not be wasted. This is a time for each of us to consider the garden of our own hearts, and then for us to collectively consider the condition of the vineyard we call the church. What needs to be plowed up, pruned, hauled away, composted, fertilized, etc. in order to be fruitful in the coming seasons of ministry?

In this life our greatness is not measured by the surveyor's transit or the economist's ledgers, but by the depth of our love. How can we love our community well in these days? The proof of our Christian discipleship is in how well we love each other. Let's use this time leading up to our joyful celebration of Resurrection Day to prepare the soil of our hearts, our families, and our communities for the seeds that the Lord wants to sow, grow, and harvest.

Jesus, in one of his last messages to his disciples before his arrest and death is recorded in John 15:1-9...

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

Sometimes we get impatient and out of line. That's when we need to hold on to our long view... that we are loved and have not been left alone.

[Hint= Trying to find "man" in the first graphic? It is near the center, just to the left of "expanse".]