Enemies: Part 2

There are many enemies of the garden.  The groundhog is the chief enemy at the congregational garden, but it is not the only enemy.  I have included a picture of a "nice" squash plant and a cut off one.  These were planted in hills of about 7 seeds and were the first plants to come up.  You will see two things.  First,  it is is very dry.  We have had 90 degree plus weather off and on for the last three weeks.  Second, if you look carefully, you will see a stem without leaves.  Something has eaten it.  I could claim all damage on the groundhog, but there are insects and other things that enjoy young plants.

There are a host of enemies attacking the garden - bugs, larger animals like groundhogs and even deer, drought, and perhaps even ourselves when we are careless.  This again is parallel to the world, the flesh and the devil.

Cucumber 7-11-12

Yeshua/Jesus spoke of a sower going out to scatter seeds.  Not all the seeds met a good end.  If you remember some were scattered on stony soil.  They sprang up and had no root.  Others were chocked out by weeds.  Some were eaten by birds.  But some fell in good soil and gave a good increase.  You can read parallel accounts in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8.

Yeshua interpreted the parable for His disciples in Matthew 13:18-23

 ¹⁸ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²² The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” . 

Tomatoes 7-11-12

In the past when I thought on this, I was troubled.  I said to myself,  how can anyone be sure that they are good soil?  However, working in the garden has given me some perspective.  I can choose to take the stones out of the soil.  I can choose to weed the garden.  I can choose to cover the seed to keep it from the birds.  Granted,  troubles come to Gan Am Messiah and to the gardens of our lives.  The woodchuck/groundhog lurks nearby.  Even so, in each case we are able through prayer and the help of the Almighty, we learn what to do, do it and prevail against our enemies.  Yes, there are times when all that we can do is pray... and it is enough.
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No veggies this week - 7-21-12