A Prayer About Gospel-Gardens
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Isaiah 58:9-12
Heavenly Father, you seem to have a penchant for gardens. Our first home was the garden paradise of Eden and our future home, the new heaven and new earth, sounds like it’s going to be the Garden of Eden on steroids (Rev 21:1-22:6). Indeed, you have committed to make of your broken creation a vital and verdant new creation of which Eden was just a hint-a veritable preview of coming attractions.
It shouldn’t surprise me, then, that you would choose the image of a garden to describe what our life should look like as the people of God. The more the life-giving resources of the gospel are applied to our sin and brokenness the more we will become, and our churches will become, like well-watered gardens-gospel-gardens, not existing for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others-especially for the least and the lost in our neighborhoods and among the nations of the world.
Lord, forgive us, when we turn our churches into ingrown clubs or religious forts, which separate us from the poor, the oppressed and the hungry; rather than gospel-gardens, which send us to the broken, the marginalized, and those suffering from all forms of injustice.
Lord, forgive me, when I make myself the chief produce-manager or the chief fruit-inspector, rather than gladly submitting to the tilling, weeding, sowing, fertilizing and pruning work of the gospel in my heart.
Jesus, you are the true seed that was sown that death itself would die, and you are the firstfruits of a whole new people and a whole new creation order-raised from the dead to bring forth the living waters which alone will never fail… which alone truly satisfy… and which alone will eradicate all evil and injustice one Day.
Jesus, you are the ultimate “rebuilder of ancient ruins,” “Repairer of Broken Walls” and the “Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Continue your gospel-gardening work in us and through us, until the Day you return to finish making all things new… and all things garden. So very Amen, I pray, in your bountiful and beautiful name.
