We recently made the decision to use the back deck of our town home for an urban garden. We will soon have a back 40. Forty square feet, that is. Our garden will be home to several different veggies and herbs. And should provide some good food and the opportunity to bless others. Maybe the green thumbs of my grandparents and mom will show their heritage in me.
Gardening gives so many illusions to evangelism themes to me. There are three important categories that these themes fall into: essentials, provision, and seasons. The essentials to crops are seeds, soil and, in our case, containers. The provision comes in the form of sun and rain and with a little help from fertilizer. And finally, the seasons manifest as planting, tending, and harvest.
Each of these things can parallel with an aspect of evangelism. The essentials are the seeds of the Gospel, soil that is ready to receive the seed, and people who will act as willing vessels. The provision takes the form of the Holy Spirit changing hearts, Jesus taking on sin and death on the cross and rising on the third day. And the seasons of life are evident as God works to ready a heart to hear the Gospel, the mouthpiece of God speaks the Gospel and then the day of salvation brings about the harvest of God in ones life.
Luke 10:2 says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We are praying that God will use us to sow the seeds of the Gospel here and that through His provision and movement in the seasons of life, God will bring the increase and the harvest.