The Heavenly Gardener

“ Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.”

Jeremiah 4:3

                        THE HEAVENLY GARDENER                        

The heart's rough earth my labours cannot till, 

Because it needs the Heavenly Gardener's Skill 

 Thus it lies waste and fruitless, 'till His hand 

Works this hard and stony, barren land.

"Plow up my heart, dear Lord, that it may be 

 Planted with all things pleasing unto thee.

 My unkept land but briars and thorns doth yield, 

 But Thou canst make of it a fruitful field.

Thou workest in men's hearts to will and do, 

 Bringing forth precious fruit, holy and true. 

 A heart reflecting Thine own image would I see, 

 Fruitfulness. unfading beauty for eternity.

Dig deep, dear Master, do not spare this ground, 

 Without Thee no good thing shall here be found. 

 Send now Thy precious showers of heavenly grace.

 Light and warm it with the sunshine of Thy face,

May salvation's well of living waters spring, 

 Streams from Lebanon flow out and blessing bring; 

 Thus water Thou the furrows of the fruitful field, 

 So for Thy praise the earth may increase yield"

Come now north wind, and south wind softly blow, 

 Upon the air shall scent of all sweet spices flow, 

 Fair flowers, whose perfect beauty can but please 

 Send forth choice fragrance, carried on the breeze.

Fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace shall grow, 

 Long suffering, gentleness and goodness here below; 

 Faith, meekness, temperance, sweet to the taste, 

 "0 come to Thine own garden now. Beloved, haste!"

S. Hirst

"Keep thy heart with all diligence;  for out of it are the issues of life"

Proverbs 4:23

 "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, 

and satisfy thy soul in drought... 

and thou shalt be like a watered garden, 

and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not".

Isaiah 58:11

"the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law"

Galatians 5:22-23

"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"

Luke 8:15

“My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices,

 to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.”

Song of Solomon 6:2