Lent in the Garden

Lent in the Garden
by Monica Frazier, Candidate for ministry from White Rock UMC

One of my most-loved memories of life together at WRUMC is last year’s Easter worship at sunrise in the garden. Surrounded by the smell of fresh-dug earth and the chill of dawn, we sang and reflected and remembered that light comes after dark. Time and time again light comes after dark. The cycle of things dying to give rise to new life, the nature of seasons, all of it is palpable in the midst of a garden. So the garden became the perfect metaphor for our Lent this year.

Gardens teach us about waiting - when the soil needs time to rest and recharge. How will you let God restore you this Lent?

Gardens teach us about struggle - when what’s needed for things to grow is first to uproot and break apart. How will you till up the soil of your spirit this Lent?

Gardens teach us about hope - we plant seeds ripe with potential and watch them take root. How will you plant with wild abandon this Lent? What can you and God grow together in your community over these next 6 weeks?

Gardens teach us about abundance - that there’s more than we can possibly imagine in store for us in God’s vision for our future. The fruit of our labors will come.

Gardens are where thriving and dying, harvesting and pruning, sowing and tending all point to God’s hope for our lives. What a powerful metaphor for our spiritual lives!

In this Lenten season we will look at the lessons we can learn from the garden. From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane and finally to the Garden tomb of Jesus’ burial and resurrection, our Lenten series will focus on finding God at work in these garden places and at work in our lives during this holy season. I can’t wait to dig in with you!