Day 29 – Tend & Watch

“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.” Genesis 2:15 NLT

We started this journey through the gardens, vineyards, groves, and fields with the command to “tend and watch” in the back of our minds. We have investigated what, where, and how to do this because this principle from creation extends to us, God’s children today, as well.

Through this deeper study we saw unfolding that in combination, tending is a form of keeping. It is the effort we make to ensure that a bountiful crop is harvested for the Kingdom, which includes ploughing, fertilizing, planting, watering, pruning, and weeding. When we neglect the task of tending, our laziness causes no promotion of growth and the garden begins to degenerate.

In very simple terminology, God’s purposed plan is accomplished because men and women – you and me – tend and watch over the place God gave us, both physical and spiritual. Tending and watching guards against degeneration, and so, another principle emerges: not only must sound training come from pure doctrine, but we should make an effort to watch and tend to produce more fruit and greater growth. At the very beginning of creation, God warns of a natural tendency in everything toward disintegration. And our command, simple as it seems, stays the same – to watch and tend.

Prayer: Father, I pray that my fellow garden workers, take this command seriously and not allow any degeneration of their lives and ministries. May the area they are allotted to tend and watch flourish with the Living Water of Jesus, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and under the Hand of our Heavenly Gardener. Amen.