Poetry

Thy Word Is A Garden

by Terry Barlow
06/25/24
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The Word of God is our garden of delight, our very present Eden. We must not read it just to say we read it, just to put a check in a box. Rather we read to absorb and receive from God. And prayer is an arbor in that garden of delight. Neither ought we to pray so that we can say to ourselves or others that we prayed. No, rather, pray to break through for a result. Persistence in prayer compensates for a lack of intimacy until such time as more intimacy can be cultivated. Don't call just to be able to say, "Well, I called, at least I tried." No, call and keep on calling in order to connect, even when there seems to be nothing in it for you. Go beyond merely satisfying or salving the conscience. Anything less is tokenism. (One way our spiritual adversary solves the conscience is to tempt us to salve the conscience.) I never cease to be amazed at how richly God rewards us when we act solely in the best interest of others and for the good of others, without any thought of what we will gain from it ourselves. It is in that way that we vacate an inward area in our being that He immediately fills with Himself and His vast store of surprises.