God's Garden of Grace

by Debbi Weeks

Titus 3:5-7

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

I’m not much of a gardener. No one would say I have a green thumb. In fact, I have been told I have a brown thumb. (Why do people have to point out the obvious when it’s a deficit in my abilities – it’s like when people remind me of the fact that I can’t carry a tune?! Ah, but I digress . . . )

Still I am persevering in learning how to at least keep a few things alive. I even have a five and a half year old houseplant. It’s nothing beautiful, in fact most people would probably toss it, but I keep it simply for the fact that I have kept it alive for the past five and half years! On the outside of my home I’m doing better too. By planting in pots and utilizing a drip system, things seem to be growing and we have some color. I work hard for a little reward – but little reward is not no reward. I’m thankful for the little I do have.

While I have worked hard for some of my flowers, my two favorite flowers appeared on their own in late spring. They grew out of the cracks in our concrete stairway. Of all places it was there where they are not watered, where there is no soil and where they are totally unattended. Yet, they are thriving as much or more than the flowers I labor over.

I like to think God put them there just for me – to bring me a little bit of joy as I’ve seen these flowers spring up and thrive in the most unlikely of places. I smile each time I see them. Everyone who comes to my home and has to climb (literally) over the snapdragon comments about it. It’s like God is screaming, “I’m here! I can do as I please! I care about you – even enough to put two little flowers to bring a smile to your face!”

It’s really been a lesson on grace for me. I’m seeing God’s unmerited favor. God graced me with these two beautiful reminders. I did absolutely nothing to earn or merit their growth there in the crack of the sidewalk. No work, just undeserved enjoyment. Exactly like the grace He bestows on each of us for our salvation.

Father God, thank You that You do as You please and that it pleases You to bring delight to us, Your creatures. Thank You that You grace us with salvation and that it is all of You.
I confess that I sometimes lack appreciating You appropriately for all You have graced me with. Thank You for placing two beautiful flowers in my front yard to remind me of Your unmerited favor, Your care for me. Please allow me to walk by them and remember Your goodness and grace.