Garden Refuge for National Day of Prayer

Let us find garden refuge today in the Words of David, a special set of Scriptures he spoke, lifted up by the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. 2 Samuel 22:29-31 ESV

Notice, gardeners, no plants are mentioned, no landscape vistas revealed; nevertheless, it is good to come together in a common Word and cultivate the Words in our minds and hearts and prayers.

garden refuge in the Fern Dell at Lincoln Park Conservatory, Chicago, IL — *Consider this grotto “wall” of maidenhair fern in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Conservatory, as David might have sought refuge among the caves and waterfall in En Gedi, Psalm 57*

As a shepherd, I think David was more of a naturalist than a gardener—note the way he spoke so fondly of deer, LOL (2 Samuel 22:34, Psalm 40:1). All that likely comes to our minds is the creatures’ munching destruction of tender leaves and flowers, hmpf! Yet from his solitude and sun-drenched days in near-deserts watching sheep, David left us a beautiful pathway into our Father’s heart. Added to this, his utter cries to the Lord as enemies pursued him throughout the landscape; he has a legacy of leadership, battle strength and victory, yet many are his mighty Words of loving, fierce devotion to the Lord. He had the highest regard for God’s Word:

God—his way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is pure. 2 Samuel 22:31 HCSB

This God—how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! 2 Samuel 22:31 GNT

“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless 2 Samuel 22:31 NIV

How much more endearing it is that he was the author of so many of them in Psalms, 2 Samuel 22, 1 Chronicles 16 to name a few.

Garden Refuge

I think we can connect particularly to David as gardeners in his Words on refuge; although “garden refuge” riddles with redundancy. Aren’t gardens inherent places of refuge? Truly, garden work gravitates us with its shelter from pressures around us when we enter into the creativity and earthy delight of taking care of, tending, and puttering for hours. Likewise, strolling through a public garden with a friend invites a surround of beauty, joy, security, and rest, which shelters and grows our relationship.

However, take the moment to realize that in our garden spaces, it is the Lord who is our refuge; the garden itself just makes the appointment to meet up with the Holy One.

God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me! You are the revelation-light in my darkness and in your brightness I can see the path ahead. Psalm 18:28 TPT

Let it be His company we seek, His Presence that calms us, and His heart we discover as the garden delights us with new posies blooming, flowering trees filling out, fresh, spring foliage adorning shrubs, and plenty to eat—savory greens, aromatic herbs, emerging veggies and juicy, forming fruits. Let it be His Spirit who rejuvenates us and reorients us away from darkness towards His light-filled wonder.

May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth Psalm 115:15 NIV

The garden is God’s territory, and how we hope to be conquerors in His holy land; that is, prevail over fears, worries, and pressures; squelch all the lies that torment us, and squash buggy brokenness with the mighty force of His healing. These are ours to officiate in His garden refuge.

*find garden refuge in this secret garden at Texas Discovery Gardens, Dallas, TX*

A Nation’s Prayer

Let us join our countrymen crying out to God today, the National Day of Prayer, in lifting up His Word and calling down the light of His Presence to occupy all darkness.

2024 National Prayer

Jesus, we profess our faith in You. You are the Light of the world, and in You there is no darkness. For You are our lamp, O LORD, and our God who lights our darkness. Forgive us for fearing and focusing on the darkness around us instead of being filled with faith and shining like the city on a hill You have called us to be.

Forgive us for the times when we have been the absence of light, allowing darkness to dwell in America. Lead us forward to dispel the darkness and bring light throughout the Church, Family, Education, Business, Military, Government, and Arts, Entertainment, and Media.

We are saved by grace through faith, released from the darkness that once held us captive and now free to walk in the newness of life in You. Light dispels darkness and exposes what is hidden and wicked, so we commit to rise and shine! For by You, Lord, we can take courage to run against the enemy, and by our God we can fight the good fight and keep the faith as living lampstands in our communities and country. We fear no evil for You are with us.

Lord, Your way is perfect, You lead us on paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Your Word is Truth, instructing and inspiring us to live in the abundant life You gave when You saved us from the death and destruction of the enemy. Fill us with Truth as we read, study, and live Your Word.

God, You are a shield for all those who take refuge in You. As we abide in You and Your Word abides in us, we take up our shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and run boldly into the darkness to Lift Up the Word and Light Up the World! In the Mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen!

Written by NDP Task Force President, Kathy Branzell

*find garden refuge at South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA*

At the same time, the command I am writing is new—it is true in Jesus and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:8 EHV

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light Genesis 1:3 NIV

blooming salvia leucantha shows the structure of the Temple menorah

How do you plant light in your garden? Enjoy Let There Be Light from the Devotions Blog, as well as these related topics: Verdant, National Day of Prayer, and The Bible’s Red, White and Blue

Many thanks to the NDP Task Force for galvanizing prayer across our nation today. Learn more about the National Day of Prayer here

Do you love connecting God’s Word to your gardening work and the trees and plants around you? You will love my new book, My Father is the Gardener, Devotions in Botany and Gardening of the Bible, order at this link.

ESV denotes Scripture quotations taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

HCSB denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

NIV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

TPT denotes Scripture quotations taken from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com