Daily Devotional
Tending Gardens

June 14, 2025

Ponder This

Do you have a garden? I don’t have a garden. I don’t like gardens. There’s too much weeding, too much fertilizing, too much watering, and too much care. It’s tough to have a garden. Regardless of your interest in gardening, you’ve got another kind of garden. You’ve got some olive plants. And caring for those plants takes weeding, it takes watering, it takes fertilizing, it takes cultivating, it takes discipline, it takes instruction, and it takes demonstration. Most of all, it takes time.

I read the other day that if a father does not spend quality time with his daughter, he greatly hinders her journey in life. She can become distant or look for attention from someone else. She’s looking for a father figure. She might become vulnerable or may have a negative view of men in general. Investing in the next generation takes time, but it is worth it. Be intentional about the moments you have with the next generation. Children and young people need to know your love and that you have taken the time to care.

• How have you been shown love from someone spending time with you?
• What is hard about taking time to love others? What is beneficial about it?

Practice This

Think about who you need to pour into in the next generation and reach out to set up dedicated time with them.