As
you can see by the pictures, the tulips are in full bloom at our state botanical
gardens. This time of year, we’re making several trips so as not to miss
anything. As we walked the garden paths recently, Jerry and I observed again how
God’s glory is so evident in his creation. Then we met a woman who also seemed
amazed at the bursts of color. She stopped in the path, extended her hands to each side and said, “God’s
artwork.”
“We
were just commenting on that,” I responded.
But
then I thought, God’s artwork with a little help from a few dozen of His
friends. Because all those bulbs we were seeing had to be planted and then at
the end of the season, I’m sure that at least some of them are removed.
Of
course, the workers didn’t create the bulbs or cause them to grow, so all the
glory goes to God. But those tillers and planters had to participate in the
process.
And
so it is with us in the spiritual realm. All the glory goes to God, but He is
counting on us to sow and plant in his kingdom. We have a part to play in the
glorious plan.
The
apostle Paul wrote about this, “It’s not the one who plants or the one who
waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow.” And
all that hard work of planting and watering, Paul says, “What makes them worth
doing is the God we are serving” (I Corinthians 3:7-9).
So
as we enjoy the beauty this spring, let’s be reminded of the part we play in
God’s desire to win the world to himself. The God we serve is worthy of all our
labors.