The Garden and the Wilderness
I’m reading Bruxy Cavey’s book “The End of Religion”, and came across this little bit about the Garden:
“By placing Adam and Eve in a “garden” God was calling all humankind to partner with Him in caring for creation.
A garden is a meeting place between nature and human culture. It reflects both divine and human creativity, as opposed to the extremes of a city on the one hand and a forest …on the other. God’s original design for humanity (and I don’t think He has changed it…ss) was an intimate, purposeful relationship between Himself and humanity, expressed through a co-creative partnership.”
I love the imagery of the garden and the wilderness. For many, including myself, whether we are gifted or not in this area, there is an instinct to garden. If we were placed in a highrise in an urban ghetto, we’d be looking for a place to plant something…spading up a vacant lot….potting up a tomato on the fire escape…whatever…Conversely, if we were suddenly stranded and lost in the jungle, we’d be compelled to make a little clearing, pull a few weeds, cultivate and encourage useful indigenous plants.
There is so much to think about in this idea of the garden and the wilderness. In the absence of man, the wilderness prevails. It is wild and beautiful, and perhaps dangerous. Although, certainly no more dangerous than the inner city. If it were possible to exclude God from the situation (which it is not of course…but sometimes we do see hellish circumstances where He SEEMS to be absent) what a ghastly squalid environment man on his own can create.
I love the idea that where God and man meet, a garden is possible….and so a garden becomes symbolic of friendship, fellowship, partnership with our Father.
Something to think about as you’re hilling the spuds...
I’m reading Bruxy Cavey’s book “The End of Religion”, and came across this little bit about the Garden:
“By placing Adam and Eve in a “garden” God was calling all humankind to partner with Him in caring for creation.
A garden is a meeting place between nature and human culture. It reflects both divine and human creativity, as opposed to the extremes of a city on the one hand and a forest …on the other. God’s original design for humanity (and I don’t think He has changed it…ss) was an intimate, purposeful relationship between Himself and humanity, expressed through a co-creative partnership.”
I love the imagery of the garden and the wilderness. For many, including myself, whether we are gifted or not in this area, there is an instinct to garden. If we were placed in a highrise in an urban ghetto, we’d be looking for a place to plant something…spading up a vacant lot….potting up a tomato on the fire escape…whatever…Conversely, if we were suddenly stranded and lost in the jungle, we’d be compelled to make a little clearing, pull a few weeds, cultivate and encourage useful indigenous plants.
There is so much to think about in this idea of the garden and the wilderness. In the absence of man, the wilderness prevails. It is wild and beautiful, and perhaps dangerous. Although, certainly no more dangerous than the inner city. If it were possible to exclude God from the situation (which it is not of course…but sometimes we do see hellish circumstances where He SEEMS to be absent) what a ghastly squalid environment man on his own can create.
I love the idea that where God and man meet, a garden is possible….and so a garden becomes symbolic of friendship, fellowship, partnership with our Father.
Something to think about as you’re hilling the spuds...
4 comments:
so - my tomato leaves are dark and wilted - did i overwater? will they survive?
oh, momma - i loved this.
& my little urban garden is starting to poke it's lovely greenery above the ground.
eeek...sounds like frost to me Steph. Can you make them little greenouses with plastic milk cartons?..(cut out the bottoms)
i love this too. Were heading into lanscaping the yard this summer. :) Beautiful imagery to have as we work at it. Wish you were here to look over the plans with me! --j
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