Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

April 12– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

[Nehemiah rebuilt] “the king’s garden.” 

—Nehemiah 3:15

The mentioning of the king’s garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise which the King of kings had prepared for Adam back in the beginning. Sin has utterly ruined that beautiful place and has caused the children of men to till the ground filled with thorns and thistles. My soul, remember Adam’s fall into sin, for it was your fall into sin, too. Weep much because the Lord of love was so shamefully mistreated by the head of the human race of which you are a member. Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this earth which once was a garden of delights!

Later on, we see another King’s garden which the King himself waters with his own bloody sweat— the Garden of Gethsemane. Its bitter herbs are sweeter far to renewed souls than even Eden’s luscious fruits. In the second garden, the damage of the serpent in the first garden was undone; the curse was lifted from the earth and carried by Eve’s promised descendant, Jesus. My soul, think much of the agony and passion of Christ. Resort to the garden of the olive-press and view your great Redeemer rescuing you from your lost estate. This is the garden of gardens, indeed, wherein the soul may see the guilt of sin and the power of love— two sights which surpass all others.

There is another King’s garden— the garden of my heart and yours! How is your garden flourishing? Are there any flowers or choice fruits on the vine? Does the King walk among the groves of your spirit? Are the plants trimmed and watered and the destructive foxes hunted and removed? Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow on the spices of your garden. And let me not forget the garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity unto it. Rebuild her walls, nourish her plants, ripen her fruits, and from the huge wilderness reclaim the barren waste and make of it “a King’s garden.” [M&E]