May 20, 2002, Ron Cutting, Prestatyn, UK

Ground Force meets Life Force

Image Caption: Memorial Parkcomma Daruvar Croatia. Pictured Ron and Joyce Cutting

Memorial Parkcomma Daruvar Croatia. Pictured Ron and Joyce Cutting

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Spring and a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of?, well, going by a couple of my neighbours, you can complete that sentence by adding "GARDENING!" Who needs GROUND FORCE? In our neighbourhood, there are at least two excellent examples of what a dedicated gardener can do, and it shames me. Another of my neighbours employs 'a man' to come and tidy his plot, but here I can get mine looked after at no cost, except the occasional 'black look' because in our home, Joyce is the gardener, if I look at a plant it dies! What does a garden bring to your mind? They are popular places in our culture, look at the proliferation of Gardening programme's TV. I always think of the Garden of Remembrance at the Crematorium in Manchester, where the ashes of our loved ones are scattered. Another one which springs to mind is in a town called Daruvar, in Croatia. I visited this particular garden shortly after the ending of the war in that country and looked at the new memorial in memory of the young people who had died for their freedom from tyranny. I will never forget an inscription to Twin brothers who died on the same day. It is no coincidence that the Bible record opens in a garden, the Garden of Eden, where the fall into sin of mankind began. Another garden that is very significant is the garden of Gethsemane, where the Lord retreated to, to pray to His Father, as the scripture says " And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." It was here that Judas betrayed him and he was arrested. The story doesn't end there, because as you know, we are celebrating Easter and we would not have any reason to celebrate if, after He had been crucified and died, He had not risen from the grave and lives on in glory, being a blessing to all those who trust and love Him. Why don't you think about these things as you sit, on balmy days, in your garden or better still take a look at the many gardens described in the Bible. Maybe you, too, will be drawn to the garden of Gethsemane and realise that Jesus allowed Himself to be taken and crucified, that first Easter, because of your sinfulness, and that He rose again to bring you into a new kind of LIFE! I'm sure I will enjoy gardens in heaven, will you?