Ephesians 4:22-24 (NLT) “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
Both the artist and the gardener start their work by thinking... they look at what they have and decide how to proceed. The gardner looks carefully at the landscape; the existing plants, both flowers and weeds; the way the sun falls, and so on. The artist sees their subject, the canvas, the paint that they have at their disposal, and the brushes or chisel that sit idly by.. After they’re done thinking, the artist and the gardener begin their work... they both bring their creativity and effort to their respective projects. The gardener tends what has gone before, making the most of what is beautiful and weeding out what is distracting or useless. The artist can be more daring... they start with a blank canvas or a solid piece of stone and gradually... ever so carefully, they take the paint to the canvas or the chisel to the stone and make something out of it that wasn’t there before.
Maintain what was there before... or create something that’s never been.
Which does God want us to do in our lives? Pull weeds or blaze trails? Tidy up what’s already in place or make moves to create new? The short answer? both.
Gardener, think back to yesterday.. what worked? What didn’t? Keep the good thoughts and actions and ask God how you can sift out the bad. What needs to be replanted or moved around in your life? What needed to take priority that didn’t? What (or who) could use a little more TLC? What was neglected and is withering away? If it honored God...if it helped you move forward in your walk with Christ...if it reflected God’s character... water it. If not, it needs to be uprooted and eliminated from your precious daily minutes.
Artist... today is a blank canvas ready to create something brand new... What are you planning? What is something you've been putting off that you've never done before but want to or should? How about one full day of fasting and prayer about that challenge in your life? Maybe a phone call to the person you struggled to forgive and tell them you're moving past it? Perhaps your blank canvas could be filled with giving your troubles to God...and not taking them back. Something new...something you've never done before during a day. Be creative!
God wants us to maximize our lives... both by weeding out and beautifying what has been and looking for brand new things to do that help us become the person we were created to be. Keep what honors God and moves us to be more like Him, dig out and throw away what's getting in our way from doing so. Be bold enough to take new ground. To create a new masterpiece... to fill the empty canvas of today with brand-new, beautiful and God-honoring thoughts and actions.
You are both caretaker and world-changer... manager and pioneer... gardener and artist.
Two roles. One day. One you. Are you ready?
Let’s go.
