Scatter to Gathered | Garden to Garden
I remember the night Eric put my engagement ring on my finger. We were on a merry-go-round at the local park, where we would often spin around and talk while staring into the night sky. It was on that merry-go-round, on a random Monday night, that Eric asked me to marry him. And we’ve been spinning round-and-around ever since (he even wrote a rockin’ song about the merry-go-round and me).
In the 24 years that I’ve been wearing that engagement ring (along with my wedding ring), I’ve never taken it to a jeweler to have it cleaned or refurbished. Recently, I started feeling a rough spot on the corner that holds the diamond. Out of precaution, I finally took it to a jewelry store to have it checked.
I explained to the jeweler where the rough spot was. He took my ring and looked at it through a magnifier. He promptly proclaimed, “yep, you’re about to lose your diamond. I mean this ring has had a lot of rough wear.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong. That ring has been through everything we’ve been through. Through pregnancy and raising three boys. Through carrying groceries. Through decorating for Christmas year after year. Through moving nine different times. Through punching Eric each time he snored in the bed. I mean, that ring has had some rough wear!
I’m sure you could relate to the rough wear that comes by living. You too probably have stories of rough wear.
But our rough wear isn’t for comparing or competing to see who had it the roughest. Recognizing the rough wear of life is for us to help encourage others to get through the rough times by with the wisdom we’ve gained. The Bibles tells us to expect this rough wear. In this world we WILL have trouble, but we should consider it pure joy WHEN we face troubles of MANY kinds.
The scripture that inspired this blog series, Scattered to Gathered, is Jeremiah 31:10-12. These three encouraging verses affirm that there is coming a “gathering” to the scattered Israelites. Even God’s people had some rough wear, and He recognized it.
Nations, hear the word of the Lord, and tell it among the far-off coasts and islands! Say, “The one who scattered Israel will gather him. He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock, for the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he.” They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant with joy because of the Lord’s goodness, because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil, and because of the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like an irrigated garden, and they will no longer grow weak from hunger.
Hmm. “Their life will be like an irrigated garden…” I’m no gardener or green thumb. I sometimes forget to water plants turning them brown. But I do know that a garden doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. It takes a lot of hard work to make a garden last. You have to have the right tools, the right soil, the right climate, and the right seed. Your shoes may get muddy as prep the ground. Your hands might get blistered as you till it up. Your knees may get sore as you bury the seeds. Your time might be cut as you water it continually. What is this trying to tell us? Even gardeners go through a lot of rough wear to bring forth a harvest, but the harvest is worth it!
Currently, we find ourselves between gardens— between the Garden of Eden and the heavenly garden described in Revelations 22. God prepared a perfect garden in the beginning, and it got wrecked with sin. He has been working on the heavenly garden ever since; He has been working for His Holy Harvest.
So when it comes to the rough wear of everyday living, I consider it joy that the Gardner is willing to share His harvest with us! I recognize that what feels like a weakness, or an imperfection, is when I find strength in Him (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Like my engagement ring, even in the rough wear, it still sparkles and tells the world that I belong. Despite your rough wear, you still sparkle and belong to Him. One day, the Jeweler will restore your rough wear into the perfection He intended it to be.