Monday, June 9
- Scripture: Genesis 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
- Reflection: We live on this one planet, on this one world, together. There isn’t another one waiting for us, though we are expending natural resources as if we have almost three times as many planets as we do.
Humans have a role to play as stewards of the Earth. Reflect on what stewardship means in your life and how you can actively engage in nurturing your “gardens.”
What gardens do you tend? Are they literal gardens full of vegetables and flowers, or maybe orchards or lawns, that require maintenance and cultivation? Are they other wild places, recreational sites, or trail systems with which you are involved? Are some of your gardens actually families in need of your presence? Are they projects that fulfill you or serve others? Are they emotional and psychological landscapes in need of care? Are they workplaces? Are they causes in which you believe? Are they hobbies and passions that give you sustenance? Are they friendships and relationships that require attention? Are they animals with which you connect? Are they areas of personal development that you want to give time and space and energy?
Who or what needs your care and attention and presence?
Which landscapes, whether real or metaphorical, require too much from you, or deplete you spiritually, physically, and emotionally? Should you reconsider how much energy, time, and/ir resources you give to relationships, areas or ‘gardens’ in your life that mess with your spiritual balance and wellbeing?
Which gardens fulfill you? Which ones, when given your presence and energy, become landscapes of renewal? Focus on those parts of your life, and give them space and time! - Spiritual Practice Prompt: Identify one act of stewardship—perhaps recycling, a community project, or volunteering—in which you may participate this week.
Songs:
- “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson: https://youtu.be/XAi3VTSdTxU?si=Wpvh_lklRsVvaKdk
- “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell: https://youtu.be/2595abcvh2M?si=Q62hQcF1XwAPsKcA
The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies. ― Gertrude Jekyll
June 9 Dailt Devotional