Prayer For Gardeners
The sun is just rising over the horizon,
shafts of light brighten the darkness,
as the light of day once more graces this earth.
My heart feels deep gratitude for this earth
created by my use thru God's son, Jesus.
My thankful heart opens my senses,
and expands my awareness of all around me!
Look at the beautiful greenery!
The trees, shrubs, plants, even the weeds,
they're beautiful!
See the fruits & vegetables
produced by plants of this earth for my use.
The flavors, the textures, the colors!
The plants are nourished by this earth
just as I am.
They grow where they are planted,
and need water, sun and nourishment.
Just as I do as a human living on this earth.
But I have to work by the sweat of my brow
to provide a good environment for these plants to grow.
I am becoming like God.
I am a child of God,
having success thru my efforts
caring for my little patch of earth,
working by the sweat of my brow
all the days of my life tilling the earth.
As I work,
appreciation for my efforts,
and the blossoming earth around me
fills my heart with joy,
I pray as I work in my garden,
and then leaning on my hoe,
I see shafts of light illuminate the greenery,
as once more I feel the sun's warmth,
blessing my garden.
God, give us eyes to see
In every budding flower
The hand that rules the universe
With gentleness and power.
Awaken faded flowers of faith
Lying dormant in our hearts,
To behold the living beauty
A garden lavishly imparts.
And give us ears to hear, O God
The springtime of Your Word
With messages more meaningful
Than man's mere empty words.
Telling harried human beings
who wonder if you're there
Be like us and do not worry
For God has you in His care.
Blessed are You, for weeds. I thank you for violets and dandelions and plantain, which are food I can eat when I pull them, as I wait for the food that I planted to grow. Blessed are you for the grass that just keeps growing up, no matter how many times I pull. I thank You that, when I keep the grass short, it deters slugs better than plain earth. I thank You for the harmful weeds as well, which I have to pull quickly before they overtake the patch. I thank You that I meditate on repentance as I grab the weeds quickly, while they're small, and I thank You that I meditate on stubbornness as I pull them later, if I was lazy. I thank You for the penance of thorns and thistles, and for the consolation of wildflowers.
Blessed are You that beans sprout easily, a day or two after they're planted if it rains. I thank You that kale grows fast as weeds if I keep it in the shade. I thank You that roots dig deep to find water in the ground, and that leaves stretch up toward Heaven without being told. I thank You that cucumbers are difficult, and always dry out. I thank you that corn demands to be fertilized, but that pole beans grow up a cornstalk without any trouble. I thank You that snap peas cling to anything, while tomatoes demand to be staked. I thank You that squash hugs the ground and shades it.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, who brings forth food from the earth.
Blessed are You, that when Adam cursed the soil with his disobedience, You hid within the earth a countless multitude of consolations, and we who grow food from the earth still find them. I thank you that the sweat of my brow has not blinded me to many of Your mercies. I pray that, for the sake of Your name, You reveal to me the mercies I have missed in my selfishness.
Bless, Lord God, my little plot of land,
and the strength with which I'm tilling it,
bless the seed I'm carefully planting,
and the prayers I'm sowing with it.
Bless the seasons that are coming,
and the sunshine and the rain.
Bless the days and shortening nights,
and the hopes of my small barn.
Bless, O Father of good giving,
Bless, O Son of redeeming.
Bless, O Spirit of the living,
Bless, O Holy Three all-loving.
Bless, Lord God, my little plot of land,
and the strength with which I'm tilling it,
bless the seed I'm carefully planting,
and the prayers I'm sowing with it.
Bless the seasons that are coming,
and the sunshine and the rain.
Bless the days and shortening nights,
and the hopes of my small barn.
Bless, O Father of good giving,
Bless, O Son of redeeming.
Bless, O Spirit of the living,
Bless, O Holy Three all-loving.
Father and Great Gardener,
We thank you for the land
You have given us to steward.
We receive it as a gift from your gracious hand.
Without your blessing there would be no productivity.
We receive the blessing of your Word on our land
And we expect a rich and abundant harvest
As we work and tend it with diligence.
With your blessing and our hard work
We will receive a harvest that will be enjoyed
And shared by many of our friends and family.
In Jesus, our gracious Vineyard keeper.
Amen!
Help us, Oh God, to be ever mindful of the beauties around us. May we grow with our flowers in gentleness, patience, courage, laughter and religion.
As we turn the brown soil and plant our seed, may we learn faith ... faith in the goodness of the earth, the clemency of the sun, the fullness of the clouds.
May we be grateful for the privilege of being coworkers with God in the creation of even one tiny flower;
And grant that we may know the great joy that comes from sharing with others.