Pentecost - Lessons from my garden

Donna
May 23, 2021
4 min read

Updated: May 25, 2021

Lately I have spent many hours tending my little seedlings of herbs and flowers. It always amazes me to see the many different types of seeds, all full of possibility. I plant them in their little peat pots, place them in a sunny spot, water them faithfully, and wait. And I always plant extra parsley and dill for the swallowtail butterflies.

It feels like magic, as some of my seeds, mostly cosmos and zinnias, spring up within a few days, tiny green leaves rising up from the rich black soil. But my parsley and lavender seeds are taking much longer. A few days ago (with still no sign of any green growth), I assumed the seeds must be too old, and resolved to throw them out soon. But early this morning, after weeks of watering and waiting, I looked very closely, and saw -- barely perceptible -- the hint of tiny beginnings of green. What a surprise! I just needed to be patient, and to keep looking. It filled me with joy -- and relief that I hadn't given up and thrown the little pots away.

In a corner of my deck garden, we have two soft butterfly cages where we place the swallowtail chrysalises to protect them from hungry birds and larger insects. About a month ago as I was clearing off my deck of old leaves, and other debris from the winter, I noticed the cages looking pretty dirty, so I folded them up and tucked them behind a plastic bin to wash with the hose another day. A few days later, my daughter noticed the folded cages and was horrified. She told me there were still chrysalises from last summer clinging to the sides of the cages - and I had squashed them! We opened up the cages carefully and tried to restore the chrysalises to their resting spaces. They definitely looked dead and I was convinced nothing living could possibly come from the dried pods.

Then, miraculously, this week -- one by one -- the swallowtails began to emerge. Eight so far! After seven months of winter harshness (not to mention my folding them up flat!) they were born anew -- and were free to fly and be beautiful!

(another lesson in the need for patience and careful noticing...)

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In John 16, Jesus tries to encourage his disciples, who are grief-stricken when he tells them that he will be leaving them soon. They cannot comprehend what he is trying to share with them. There is such a sweet tenderness in how Jesus speaks to them, knowing the limits of what they can understand. He tells them: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."

Jesus goes on to tell them he will not leave them alone: He is sending them a Helper, an Advocate. "The Holy Spirit will take from what is Mine, and will reveal it to you."

We celebrate Pentecost today, when the Holy Spirit descended on the gathered disciples to inspire and empower them to continue the work of Christ in the world. This same Spirit is a gift given to us as well and tends the divine seeds planted by God within each of us. The Holy Spirit is the faithful gardener.

In the Book of Galatians, Paul encourages the early Christians to live within the freedom of being "guided and led" by the Holy Spirit. As we are led by the Spirit, we begin to naturally want to do those things that bring life, and help us love one another. It is the true nature of the divine seeds planted in us.

"But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galations 5:22-23, Amplified Bible)

The fruit of the spirit ripens in us as we grow and open to the light of God in us...

As you look at the list of fruit of the Holy Spirit from Galatians:

Can you identify the fruit that is already becoming soft and ripe in you?

Perhaps there is a fruit that is still green and rather hard - that needs more sunlight, water and time? Maybe some fruit is still only a seed, a promise?

We are all in process but we can ask the Holy Spirit to come and help us grow in the truth and love of Christ.

Mindful of the limits of our understanding (due to upbringing, woundings, life circumstance) Jesus so patiently tells each of us: "This is all too much for you to bear right now, But I will send a helper, to keep reminding you of what I want to reveal in you." The power and light of God's Love, through the Holy Spirit, will patiently ripen the fruit in us, from tiny seeds to luscious, ripe fruit that can feed the world.

Come Holy Spirit!!

Music: "O Sun" - Peter Mayer https://youtu.be/H6U1yhpN7hE

You are the sun.

I am the dew.

Gifted with life for a moment or two

And I for my time will sparkle and shine.

O sun come fill me with you

You are the wind.

I am the sail.

You are my strength and without you I fail

Breathe but a sigh and I'll open wide

O wind come fill me with you