In the Garden of Eden, God walked and talked with Adam (Genesis 2-3). Much later, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed in agony, His sweat trickling down as drops of blood (Luke 22:44). God chose gardens as the settings for one of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible and for one of the most painful scenes. Perhaps it is because of these that some say one is closer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth.


Whenever I’m on my hands and knees to pull weeds, I see that it’s much easier to pull a tiny weed than one that’s been allowed to flourish and sink its roots deep in the earth. The Lord reminds me that it is better to confess a sin and receive forgiveness than it is to let that sin flourish and take root. Trying to remedy the mess I’ve created is futile.


The beautiful Garden of Eden lost its wonder when sin entered the world. But the pain-wrought Garden of Gethsemane brought beauty to us through Jesus. Our heavenly Father loved us too much to leave us rooted in sin and bitterness. He came to win us back!