Pot-of-Herbs
“And lo, it was April! With the laughter of April rain …
the whisper of April rain …
the trickle, the sweep, the drive, the lash,
the dance, the splash of April rain.”-L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Ingleside, Chapter 15
“We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives.
That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us.”- 2 Corinthians 4:7 The Message
It has, indeed, been a rainy and windy April, the days interspersed with glorious sun-kissed days. We have hope in this southwest corner of Wisconsin that spring will makes its appearance, despite forecasts of hail, snow, and tornadoes!
Earlier this month, I invited others to join me in filling ordinary, empty containers—from Dollar Tree, no less! — with possibilities as we crafted our own Pot of Herbs! We did a walk-about our property and collected bee balm, mullein, catmint, chamomile, and chives; back at the barn, we filled our empty pots as we added new plants of lavender, sage, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, and rosemary. How apt that we are just “springing” off from our Lenten season, where we had focused on emptying ourselves and journey six long weeks for a look into an empty tomb. Why? Because He is Risen! And now we get to fill our broken earthly vessels with growing goodness of all variety of flavors and purposes.
We read in Genesis 1:1-2 that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty.” And as gardening author Shelley Cramm elaborates, “Beginning empty is where most gardens get their start!”
Even when we begin with a blank canvas, so to speak, we find things aren’t as perfect as we thought they’d turn out to be. For instance, in preparation for my Herb and Soul Guild gathering of ladies, I diligently planted herb seeds months before my event; however, the day had arrived, and the seedlings were still incubating; in other words, they didn’t take root or were rooted up by the kitten (especially the catmints!) or simply in a pathetic-looking state. Other plants that I had purchased in advance had grown straggly and died, and the rosemary plants ended up with powdery mildew. All my best-laid plans and good intentions fell short. As in all of life, our visionary projects are apt to require diligent tending, pruning, cutting back, and composting. I struggle with this disorder. It leaves me feeling vulnerable, unorganized, and under-prepared. In short, it reveals my humanity; that, and the voice of doubt whispering in the echo-chamber of my soul.
But God has the final say, and his promise from Philippians 1:6 is that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”
“God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son.
He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant.
In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition,
entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity
in order to set it right once and for all.”-Romans 8:3 The Message
Life can, indeed, get messy; but God has come to tend the broken pots of our ordinary lives and bring to life his incomparable and beautiful message through our brokenness. He brings order from disorder; he can transform pain into praise and purpose; he restores hope to our grieving circumstances. As Isaiah 61 proclaims:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news …
to bind up the brokenhearted …
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
I love how The Message describes verse 11:
“For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
so the Master, God,
brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations.”
He puts praise on display through us! When we create our gardens or bring beauty to our homes, is it not to display comfort, hospitality, and beauty? So when we make our heart Christ’s home, he wants to do likewise. Our heart is an abiding place that He decorates with comfort, beauty, and praise! He puts us on display for his glory!
So go forth and carry His Message in your broken vessel that He has redeemed, in order to display His glory through your talents and giftings and in your sphere of influence. Let Him burst forth through you this season!