APRIL 12

“The King’s Garden”
(Nehemiah 3:15)

The mention of the king’s garden in Nehemiah reminds us of the paradise that the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that beautiful abode of delights, driving humanity out to till the ground, which now yields thorns and briers. My soul, remember the fall, for it was your fall. Weep earnestly, for the Lord of love was shamefully mistreated by the head of the human race, of which you are a member, just as undeserving as anyone else. Look at how dragons and demons now inhabit this once beautiful earth, which was once a garden of delights.

Look over there at another King’s garden, which the King waters with His bloody sweat—Gethsemane. Its bitter herbs are far sweeter to renewed souls than the luscious fruits of Eden. There, the mischief of the serpent in the first garden was undone; there, the curse was lifted from the earth and borne by the woman’s promised seed.

My soul, reflect deeply on the agony and the passion; go to the garden of the olive press and witness your great Redeemer rescuing you from your lost state. This is indeed the garden of gardens, where the soul can see both the guilt of sin and the power of love—two sights that surpass all others.

Is there no other King’s garden? Yes, my heart, you are, or should be, such a garden. How do the flowers flourish? Do any choice fruits appear? Does the King walk within and find rest among the bowers of my spirit? Let me ensure that the plants are trimmed and watered, and that the mischievous foxes are driven away. Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow at Your coming so that the fragrances of Your garden may spread far and wide.

Nor should I forget the King’s garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity to it. Rebuild its walls, nourish its plants, ripen its fruits, and from the vast wilderness, reclaim the barren waste, transforming it into “a King’s garden.”