安置在神的园子

“耶和华神将那人安置在伊甸园，使他修理看守。” - 创 2:15

　　我发现 (在圣经里) 有关园艺的主题无处不在。耕种和照管生物，扎根于我们灵魂深处，我们本就是在神的园子被造的。

　　起初，神将我们人类安置在祂完美的园子里。在创造的故事中，前部分已说明了神乃是最初的园丁。祂造了草木——结种子的菜蔬、结果子的树木 (果子都包着核) 、灌木，以及其它各种树木。最初，神对这第一个园子的旨意，就是年复一年地为各种生灵及人类提供食物。

　　创世记2章15节说，神把人安置在第一个园子里“修理看守”。这很适合我们，因为我们乃是从神而出——按着祂的形像被造，为要像祂——而且我们也从地上的尘土而生。我们甚至可以说，园艺的工作——即修理看守——存在于我们骨子里。为着神的荣耀去耕种神赐下的礼物，乃是我们的天命。

　　园艺的工作包括耕作、种植、浇水、修剪、防护、收割等等。我们对土壤、植物和树木的世界感兴趣，这并非偶然的。我们被造原是为了看守这地和其它生灵，以及彼此照顾。耕种扎根于我们生命的起初，并在神的园子里继续兴旺。

神啊，感谢祢赐下的异象：祢在天堂为我们安置园子，使我们和祢一起修理看守。求祢在基督里重造我们，得以回到祢造我们生命的目的。奉耶稣名求，阿们。

4创造天地的来历，在耶和华神造天地的日子，乃是这样，
5野地还没有草木，田间的菜蔬还没有长起来；因为耶和华神还没有降雨在地上，也没有人耕地，
6但有雾气从地上腾，滋润遍地。
7耶和华神用地上的尘土造人，将生气吹在他鼻孔里，他就成了有灵的活人，名叫亚当。
8耶和华神在东方的伊甸立了一个园子，把所造的人安置在那里。
9耶和华神使各样的树从地里长出来，可以悦人的眼目，其上的果子好作食物。园子当中又有生命树和分别善恶的树。
10有河从伊甸流出来，滋润那园子，从那里分为四道：
11第一道名叫比逊，就是环绕哈腓拉全地的。在那里有金子，
12并且那地的金子是好的；在那里又有珍珠和红玛瑙。
13第二道河名叫基训，就是环绕古实全地的。
14第三道河名叫底格里斯，流在亚述的东边。第四道河就是幼发拉底河。
15耶和华神将那人安置在伊甸园，使他修理，看守。

Planted In God's Garden

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." — Genesis 2:15

英语音频 English Audio

I notice the subject of gardening sprouting up everywhere. The cultivation and care for living, growing things is grounded deeply in the soul of who we are as created beings in God's garden.

In the beginning God planted us human beings in his perfect garden. Previous verses from the creation story make clear that God is the original gardener. He created the vegetation—seed-bearing plants, trees that have fruit with seeds, shrubs, and all kinds of trees. From the beginning, God intended this first garden to produce food for all kinds of creatures and humankind year after year.

Genesis 2:15 shows that God planted people in that first garden "to work it and take care of it." This suits us because we are from God—created in his image to be like him—and we are also from the ground. We might even say that gardening—working and caring for growing things—is in our bones. Cultivating the gifts of God for the glory of God is what we are meant for.

Gardening involves cultivating, planting, watering, pruning, protecting, harvesting, and much more. When we are drawn to the world of soil, plants, and trees, it is no coincidence. We're designed to care for the earth, other creatures, and each other. Cultivation is rooted in our beginning and continual thriving in God's garden.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for this vision of the garden you planted in paradise for us to work and care for with you. Recreate us in Christ back to your purpose for our lives. Amen.