“Walking with Jesus as a gardener means creating space for Him to do His work in us.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 14, 2025
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
The phrase “Be a gardener, not a carpenter” is often used in parenting, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it also applies to our walk with Jesus.
A carpenter works from a blueprint, carefully measuring, cutting, and shaping each piece of wood to fit a predetermined design. Every angle, every joint, is forced into place to match the plan. A gardener, however, takes a very different approach. They prepare the soil, plant seeds, water them, and provide sunlight. They can prune and protect, but they can’t force a flower to bloom on their schedule or a vine to grow in a straight line.
Too often in our faith, we slip into carpenter mode, building a life for Jesus according to our own blueprint. We imagine how things “should” look – the job we’ll have, the ministry we’ll serve in, the spouse we will marry, the way our prayers should be answered. Then, when life takes a turn we didn’t plan, we panic. We wonder if something went wrong, or if God forgot the plan entirely.
But Scripture reminds us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8) Our carefully drawn plans will never match the beauty of His eternal design.
That’s why Psalm 37:23 brings me such peace: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” A gardener trusts the process, even when growth is hidden beneath the soil. They know the Creator has built life to flourish in its time.
Walking with Jesus as a gardener means creating space for Him to do His work in us. It’s about tending the soil of our hearts – pulling weeds of bitterness, watering with prayer, and soaking in the light of His Word. It’s trusting Him to shape us, not forcing our own design.
The carpenter controls, but the gardener trusts. And when we trust the Master Gardener, we will see fruit far greater than anything we could have built with our own hands.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Prayer
Lord, help me lay down my blueprints and trust your perfect design. Teach me to tend my heart like a garden, nurturing my faith with prayer and your word, and trusting you for the growth. Shape me in your timing and for your glory.
Application
Today, ask yourself, Am I trying to hammer my life into my plan, or am I cultivating it to grow into His? One brings frustration – the other brings peace.
Related Reading
Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 90:17; Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19
Worship Resource
Tenth Avenue North: Control
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