I’ll be honest. I’m not much of a gardener. I wish I were! But I can tell the difference right away between a garden that’s lovingly tended and one that’s been left to itself. Without a gardener, plants either wither and die or grow wild and unruly. In both cases, they fail to thrive and fulfill the purpose they were planted for. However, when a gardener steps in, the garden is transformed. With the right mix of love, care, and wise cultivation, the garden becomes a place of life and purpose, offering nourishment and beauty.

The same is true for us. God, our Ultimate Gardener, is the One who tends to our lives with love and care. In Genesis, we see this beautifully displayed as He places Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—a place overflowing with life, beauty, and abundance. Before sin entered the world, we were given a glimpse of a life of perfect abiding. It was a life where all they needed, every joy and source of strength, came from their relationship with God.

Just as with plants, where we draw our nourishment matters. Who or what we’re connected to will either bring us life or drain it away. Jesus tells us He is the True Vine, with God as the Gardener of our lives. God lovingly tends to us, shaping us for Fruitfulness. He prunes, waters, and provides all we need for Spiritual Growth, but we must stay connected to the Vine, Jesus.

As we abide in Him, we find everything we need for a Fruitful life that brings Glory to God.