Be as a watered garden

This week's Bible lesson on Soul starts off with some wonderful images. The Golden Text from Jeremiah reminds us of one of God's promises: "...my people shall be satisfied with My goodness, saith the Lord." I looked up 'satisfy' in the dictionary and will be working with some of its meanings this week. It means to fulfill, to free from doubt or question, to discharge an obligation, to meet a need. I see ways to apply that promise to many of the things people call me about when they are asking for prayerful support.

Within the Responsive Reading is an even more vivid image. I love gardening and nothing is more distressing to a gardener than to come upon a garden that has not been watered enough. The plants are dry and dusty, wilted and drooping. The ground is cracked and hard. It just cries out with thirst. Yet, once it is given a refreshing soak it is amazing to see how the picture changes within a short time. The plants are washed free of dust and shining, the stalks are once again upright, the flowers come back and even the ground looks soft and moist. So you can see why I was so excited by this verse also from Jeremiah: "...and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all." Wow! That's just what happens when we turn from the distressing mental or mortal picture we seem to be facing and turn instead to the arms of divine Good.

I often work with the 23rd Psalm and its description of The Good Shepherd. Now I can add these verses as a description of divine Love, Our Father, as The Good Gardener. I can see how He tends to His beloved children. We can find that kind of refreshment and all our needs can be satisfied. One of the hymns says, "who doth His will, His likeness still, is satisfied".

Go about your day today knowing that with God you can feel satisfied, you can satisfy all your debts, you can be as fresh and revitalized as a watered garden. That's what I'll be doing.