I’ve been thinking about the great migration

Noon and night they leave the flock

And I imagine their destination

Meadow grass, jagged rock

The Lord is my engineer

The Lord is the earth I ride on

The Lord is the face in the atmosphere

The path I slip and I slide on

18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! 

      Why would you have the day of the LORD? 

      It is darkness, and not light, 

      19 as if a man fled from a lion, 

      and a bear met him, 

      or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, 

      and a serpent bit him. 

      20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, 

      and gloom with no brightness in it? 

  21 “I hate, I despise your feasts, 

      and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 

    Amos 5:18–22 (ESV)

Sometimes in life we wish for punishment or the Day of the Lord to come on those who have offended us, caused us pain, or have gone against those commandments of God that we believe are the important ones to be followed. Yet we fail to look at ourselves in a mirror. We fail to remember our own failings and shortcomings with others and especially with God. In war when bombs are dropped from a plane the ground troops always need to make sure they are not dropped too close to them or they will suffer the same catastrophe as their enemies. I wonder if instead of the Lord bringing harm or the Day of the Lord on others that we should instead pray for forgiveness and blessings that might flow over them and onto us. For when we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We should never forget that we too were not deserving of the love of God and His forgiveness poured out to us. If we want to be more like God then less days of judgment and more days of forgiveness.

Pastor Aaron Kruse

Matthew 25:35–43 (ESV): 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

The quick response to so many is “I will pray for you.” As kind as this may sound, at times we do not need prayer but the touch of a hand who heals our wounds, the meal cooked for us out of love, the quiet payment of a bill that cannot be paid, or the hour spent as one listens to a heart being poured out. Care of another is not a means of efficiency or of transactional value. Care for another is the cost of sacrifice and of time spent. Love always costs us. Yet, the cost somehow frees our souls from being encased in the cold tundra of transactional relationships.

Pastor Aaron Kruse

John warns us to beware of the love for the things of the world. Let’s read 1 John 2:15–17 (ESV): 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

I find it is easy to get caught up in trendy or techie things of the world by believing that they will make my life easier. Unfortunately, I find they can become like the big fancy backpack, that they only add more weight and complexity to my life. Now, I am not suggesting that we return back to the days of log cabins and living off the land but I am suggesting that sometimes it is easier to trust the things of the world rather than trusting God through prayer for what we need each day. My needs and my desires sometimes look a bit the same some days and I find that I trade in power of prayer for a fancy gizmo or the promise of an easier life. 

Luke 12:41–48 (ESV): 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Life can be like driving in a Grand Prix race. It is moving quickly and split second decisions have to be made. Errors involve pile ups and injury to ourselves and others. Jesus reminds us to pay attention to the signs along the road. Just like Fangio was watching his surroundings before he went around a blind bend, we too must not be complacent with our time, money, and relationships. These God has entrusted us with to care for and manage them well for the sake of Christ. Faith is not a ticket to hedonism and power. Instead it calls for us to be a servant to all and a willingness to make sacrifices for others. Remember, this parable was for those who already believed. It is a warning to not take for granted the faith that has been entrusted to you. There may be a pile up waiting for you just around the bend and now is the time to begin preparing for it.

Pastor Aaron Kruse

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” Mark 13:32–37 (ESV)

The Garden Tomb.  

At the time, gardens were common places for burial tombs or caves to be found.  The unused garden tomb where Jesus was placed belonged to Joseph of Arimathea – a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin and, as John’s gospel describes him, a secret disciple of Jesus.  It was situated beside Golgotha, the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion and death.   When Mary Magdalene came by to attend to Jesus’ body – she found the tomb empty. 

This is the account in John, chapter 20, beginning in verse 11.  ‘Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.  She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.  “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”  She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.  “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”  She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”’  

Then Jesus said something that changed Mary forever – He called her by name.  

It is beyond imagination to enter into this scene with Jesus and Mary.  The level of despair that Mary was experiencing—she hadn’t just lost her teacher, her mentor, her dear friend, she had lost all hope.  Her world was upside down.  And she did the only thing that she knew to do.  She went to him.  She went to his body.  And in her despair—he called out to her BY NAME.  Just as he calls us to each of us BY NAME, saying, “ I know you, I have claimed you.”  Romans 8 verse 39 says, “nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Are you in a place of despair or are you just in a place of day to day busyness?  His promise to us is the same:  he will never leave us and that is a promise that we can count on.  He overcame death and the grave and met us in the garden—calling out to us by name.  

Heavenly Father, when we think of your promises and the tenacious way that you keep them for us, we can not despair but rather be renewed and encouraged.  

Thank you Lord!  

Genesis 2 explains that after God created man, he planted a garden in Eden and there he placed the man he had made.  Beginning in verse 9 the Bible says…”The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.”  

Even at the very beginning of our story with God, he is a tender caretaker and provider for our needs.  It is easy for us to get caught up in our own self sufficiency—we think that we have everything “taken care of,” and we give ourselves credit, but the truth is that “everything” is and always has been in God’s sweet care-taking hands.  It is the very nature of God to be our provider (a much better provider than we could be for ourselves).  

Today we encourage you to think about the ways that God has and continues to provide for you and give thanks for that beautiful part of your relationship with Him.  Heavenly Father, we recognize it is your nature to be our provider.  Thank you for that tender part of your nature that nurtures and cares for us.  

In Jesus name, Amen.  

The Garden Leadership Team, 
Julie Putnik, Amy Dingle, Susan Hagen