Since baby Titus came, my time has been divided between the Carolinas. Arriving home after a recent visit to my daughter’s, I was shocked to see how much my little herb garden had grown. For my birthday in April, my mom and dad bought planter pots, soil, fertilizer and seeds and gifted me a perfect project to be enjoyed with my grandchildren. They even assisted and coached me through starting my seeds. At first, it didn’t seem like anything would survive. Gradually seedlings appeared and every planter save one looked promising. Drought took its toll on the mint and thyme and I began to notice rogue leaves amid a few other plantings, likely due to my little dirt dauber, Amelia, moving a shovel full of dirt from one pot to the next. Somehow my basil and lemon balm managed to weather the heat of summer and are thriving and multiplying well into October. Now I just need to know how to keep them over winter.
My momma was apparently born with a green thumb. She can nurse the poorest scrap back to life and she is constantly rooting clippings and dividing plants to share with friends and family. When several of my shrubs had lower limbs buried in mulch, she cleared away enough soil to take trimmings that had rooted home to plant. She now has the same shrubs flourishing in her terraced beds. She gave my daughter a plant that was gifted to her by her mother’s brother years ago. It comes back bigger and more beautiful each year. God is using her green thumb to counter the curse on the ground “far as the curse is found.” (Joy To The World, Isaac Watts)
“But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”
Psalms 92:12-15 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.92.12-15.NLT
“Transplanted to the LORD’s own house!” Our feet are rooted here on earth but in Christ, our hearts are already in heaven! He is growing us in this soil until it is time for us to flourish in His presence for all eternity! Oh, may we flourish like the palm and grow strong as cedars, “remaining green and vital even in our old age. He is our Rock!”
As the first Psalm declares,
“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”
Psalms 1:1-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.1.1-3.NLT
As long as the earth endures and until Jesus returns, no sinner is too far gone for God to save. We are never more than a breath away from eternity in Christ. The thief on the cross next to Jesus teaches us this. In his agony, he mocked Jesus with one breath and defended Him with the next.
“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.””
Luke 23:42-43 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.23.42-43.NLT
“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.
He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.
By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed.
And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.2.1-10.NLT
“And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.”
Hebrews 7:25 GNT
https://bible.com/bible/68/heb.7.25.GNT
Jesus went before you. While you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.
Jesus is Immanuel, God ever present with you by His Holy Spirit.
Jesus entered heaven ahead of you to prepare a place for you and He promised to return to take you to be with Him forever.
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,
You thrill me, LORD, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.”
Psalms 92:1-2, 4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.92.1-2.NLT
Joy To The World https://youtu.be/TX6ThHbts5Y?is=rquZiSflYfifbupH
