A Prayer to Prepare Our Hearts for Spring

　　By Lynette Kittle

　　Bible Reading:

　　“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there He put the man He had formed” - Genesis 2:8

　　Read or Listen Below:

　　Winter can seem extremely long with its cold hours of darkness, barren trees and bushes, not to mention outbreaks of influenza, but as the months pass by, there is the sweet, hopeful promise of spring, which brings forth new life and new beginnings. Lush, lovely springtime brings forth new birth and beginnings to the earth, where green vegetation replaces barren land, all of it springing up because God set it into motion, creating and preparing it by planting seeds and trees at the beginning of time as we know it. He’s the one who causes it to continue blossoming and bringing new growth and fruit from the vines and trees. It’s His will and His plan.

　　God Is the Maker of All New Things

　　Spring and new growth come straight from the heart of God. It was His idea because He is the maker of all new things. Within His plan, was the plan to create Adam to care for all that would spring anew each season. Genesis 2:5 reveals, “Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground.”

　　Genesis 2:6-7 describes what occurred: “But streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

　　Once God breathed the breath of life into Adam, “The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden was the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). Even after Adam and Eve sinned, in His faithfulness to humankind, God promised, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).

　　What It Takes to Prepare Our Hearts Spiritually for Spring

　　As planting seeds physically brings forth new growth, so does planting and watering spiritually as the Apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 3:7-9: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose and will each be rewarded according to their own labor. We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

　　Like spring comes forth, so does God do new things in us, as Isaiah 43:19 describes. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” During the time of physical spring, we can ask God to lead us in looking for ways to cultivate a spiritual spring, too, where we plant and water those whom God leads us to by sowing seeds of encouragement, His truth, prayer, investing time, and offering practical help. They also look for ways to follow up on the plantings others have invested in by watering and supporting their efforts.

　　Let’s Pray:

　　Dear Father, Our hearts are deeply grateful for the spring You give us on earth each year, for Your faithfulness and Your promise that as long as the earth survives, You will send spring to us. Lead us in appreciating all that it offers us. Also, help us to see the value in spiritual springtime, where we plant and water others, cultivating and preparing the groundwork in individuals, so that You may water and cause spiritual growth in each one. Help us to be led by Your Holy Spirit in how to plant and water and to be patiently expectant of the growth You will bring in their lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen

　　Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Danilovich

　　Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.

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