Genesis 2: 15 Says: “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
This scripture shows me that the first thing God gave man was not a wife, neither was it a name, rather it was a responsibility: a task to take care of the Garden of Eden and everything in it. I believe that this is the same way it is with our time.
God has given each and every one of us responsibilities: He has given us tasks to take care of the gardens that are around us. We are to take care of the gift the Lord has placed in us, we are to take care of our friends and families, and we are to take care of whatever we engage ourselves in.
This is a new year, a new season, and a fresh start to a new decade. As Christians, we have been called to a place of excellence. We are, as Paul said, an army. This army is one that is called to purity, that has been set apart from this world, this army is a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and has been mandated to declare the glory of the true God. This army is one that looks not at the pleasures or the momentary satisfaction of the world, but rather at the eternal crown that the Lord places on each and every one of his faithful warriors.
It is indeed a fresh start, a time to reprioritize and make new resolutions. The New Year carries responsibilities, it brings new problems, and it gives us more to do in the gardens that God has given us.
This army of God does not have ranks, rather it has callings. Some are called to be doctors, others to be lawyers, preachers, evangelists, worship leaders, businessmen and businesswomen, while others are called to be teachers and even Janitors. The truth about it is that no matter where we find ourselves, we must fulfill our callings whole-heartedly, and with a spirit of excellence.
Again in Genesis, His word makes me understand that even though Joseph was in prison, he excelled there and later became a chief advisor to the king. In Acts, I see that Paul and Silas were so excellent in their worship in prison, that an earthquake occurred, and an angel was sent to their rescue.
A wise man once said “The richest place on earth is the grave” Why? Because it is full of people with untapped potentials, it is full of unrealized dreams and wasted ambitions; it is full of untilled gardens.
We have each been given dreams, and purposes in life, but like a garden needs to be tilled, and the seeds need to be planted and cultivated in order for the garden to be fruitful, so we must cultivate and nurture these dreams that have been placed in us.
For many of us, this semester is a fresh start to prove to not only ourselves but also our friends and parents, that we can be successful in Life. It is a time to honor God’s call in our lives. It is a time to prove to the devil that he is not in control of our lives, and must submit to the authority that God has given us as members of His army through the name of Jesus. It is a time to begin work in our gardens.
Let us strive for perfection, even as Christ is perfect. Let us cultivate the gardens the Lord has given us, Let us walk in excellence and boldness, knowing that our father’s angels are right beside us. Let us be strong in faith and slow to anger. Let us run the good race.
