“I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved” (Song. 5:1).

Many believers are ignorant of, or aloof towards, the idea that we are the garden of the Lord. Yes, you and I are His vineyard – the very place where His fruit is born, cultivated, pruned and matured (Isa. 5:1). We are God’s vintage: separated, enclosed, and protected from the world. But what can this mean? What more can be said?

As with countless other topics in Scripture, the Bible uses the term “garden” quite metaphorically. In other words, the many natural truths related to natural gardens are to be seen elevated upon a higher and more spiritual plane when concerning the modern-day saint. The natural significance teaches us of the spiritual significance, if any, and the earthly nature acts as a pattern for the spiritual nature to mimic, albeit spiritually (1 Cor. 15:46-47). This is why Scripture tells us that truth written “aforetime” was written “for our learning” at present (Rom. 15:4)… Because it serves as a pattern for today, and it guides us toward the more-so-intended New Covenant reality (Heb. 7:19; 8:6; 10:19-20; 11:40; Jn. 1:17; Rom. 8:3). It gives us an “ensample” of the modern spiritual application (1 Cor. 10:11). As such, the Bible’s use of this word “garden” sheds great light upon God’s present intention for the human heart. The Garden of Eden sets the stage: it was the place of great fellowship and communion (Gen. 3:9). Eden was where our Lord walked with mankind, even “in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:9). Such natural gardens are beautiful and fragrant, and thus the garden of the heart should be likewise… Earthen gardens are meant to be thoroughly enjoyed and reveled in by the husbandman, and thus my heart’s garden should be as well: it should be ever-pleasing to the caretaker, and bear much fruit for He that has planted (Jn. 15:1, 16). Throughout the Bible, “gardens” are used to teach of the communion Jesus longs to have with His own (Song. 2:16; 6:3; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18-22; 5:18-19; 1 Jn. 1:3; 3:24; Phil. 2:1; Jn. 4:10-14; 14:15-17; Rom. 8:14-17; ).. “Gardens” are also used to tell of the great measure of fruit that God wants to bring forth from within the human heart (Jer. 2:21; Matt. 3:10; 12:33; 15:13; 21:19, 33; Lk. 13:7-9; Heb. 6:7-8; Gal. 5:22-24; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10; Eph. 5:9; Rom. 6:22; 7:4; Ps. 1:1-3; 92:14; Jn. 15:16).

As you can tell, there is much that can be said regarding such a grand and glorious truth. For now, we will make but a few observations…

(1) Jesus longs to reside within our heart’s garden… Simply said, a garden is designed to be a place well-visited and most-delighted in. We shouldn’t be content to have a mere dwelling for God to occasionally house, but rather, let us seek to be a dwelling that is pleasing to Him – an abiding abode – one that He never wants to leave (Jn. 14:21-23; 2 Tim. 4:22)! In the Song of Solomon, we see such a truth unfold. The Shulamite asks God to come, and He quickly answers, “I am come into my garden, My sister, My spouse” (Song. 4:16; 5:1). I believe this to be such a speedily-answered prayer simply because our God so-longs to dwell and reside in the garden of the human heart! The bride cries “come“, and He comes right away! Reader, He is anxious to come; He is waiting to be welcomed! To Jesus, there must be no greater place to reside; there must be no greater longing pulsating through the Divine Heart, for His own holy blood is the title-deed which has purchased your garden plot: it is paid in full! Now, our Lord’s garden is to be the place of perpetual communion, even that “bed of spices” (Song. 6:2) which so-lovingly flows from our hearts to His! What a habitation! What a choice place! God has chosen such a people “unto Himself“, so why wouldn’t He want to abide and reside there (Ps. 135:4; Isa. 43:21; Eph. 1:18)?

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me… and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:21-23).

“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (Jn. 6:56).

Jesus longs to reside in your heart’s garden! Will we grant Him true-entrance? And will He enjoy what’s been grown? Or will leave Him outside knocking (Rev. 3:20; Lk. 12:36; Song. 5:2-4)?

(2) Jesus longs to feed there… A residence would be entirely-incomplete if there were not also a feasting! Not only does the Lord long to reside and dwell with you, in the garden of your heart, but He also longs to feed upon the gracious goodnesses which He has brought forth: “Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits” (Song. 4:16). Friends, there is no greater house guest than the Lord of Hosts! There is no greater reason to allow God’s fiery pruning than to possess real and pleasant fruits for Him when He comes looking (Ps. 1:1-3; 72:16; etc).

“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing” (Ps. 92:13-14).

Remember the barren bush (Matt. 21:19)? Jesus cursed it because it had no fruit, but leaves only (Jude 12)! Remember the fruitless vineyard (Isa. 5:1-2)? It brought forth mere “wild grapes“. Friends, God is looking for real substance! He is searching for diligent, genuine hearts! And why? Because He wants to feed upon much fruit: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies” (Song. 2:16). Jesus longs to drink from your well-watered garden “whose waters fail not” (Isa. 58:10-11). Will we be those who offer Him a sweet and substantial drink today? Or will we offer Him mere tainted wine (Prov. 4:17; Isa. 1:22; Hos. 4:18)? Truly, God wants to feed. And how do we suppose Jesus finds such ripe fruit to feed upon? How is such real and plentiful fruit to be cultivated and ripened in the hearts of God’s people? Reader, it’s only by His pruning! A garden left untended will quickly become a wild, weedy and worthless wasteland – having nothing to offer! But a garden carefully tended to by the counsel of Scripture will be one in which the Master will most-always find fruitful delight!

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11).

There are no shortcuts, and there are no detours. To repeatedly strive towards such shortcuts is to be found fruitless in the end: it is to make your substance bitter upon Divine taste-buds! A vineyard must first be well-pruned before any real and lasting fruit can be gathered and eaten by the Husbandman (Lev. 25:3). Jesus said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (Jn. 15:2).

(3) Jesus longs to share His fruit.. Men are mistaking if they assume the fruit wrought in them is for them and them alone. Of course, it benefits the garden, no doubt, but it also is to meet the hunger of the nations! Of course God has the chiefest place – He is the very foundation of all that is birthed, and He is the Chief recipient too, “for the Lord’s portion is His people” (Deut. 32:9). However, what God does in you, He would also like to do through you. He’s turning your desert into a garden, your wilderness into Eden, and all for good reason (Isa. 51:3). What He picks as choice fruit is to likewise be spread throughout the whole earth: Of this fruit, He says “eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly…” (Song. 5:1). What a marvelous thought to ponder! God wants you to become fruit for the nations to partake of – not only fruit for God Himself, but fruit for His many friends! “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (Jn. 15:8). The earth is waiting to see such a fruitful people, budding as King Jesus, possessing His scent (Ps. 45:8), displaying His character (Gal. 4:19), revealing His image (2 Cor. 3:18), and bearing His fruitfulness:

“For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (Isa. 61:1).

“Oh to be the garden of God – there’s no greater honor, and no greater cause. I’m watered and pruned with God’s holy fire – the idols torn down, the filth and the mire. Planted with goodness, seeded with promise – my fruitfulness budding, my scent by His furnace. My visage is different, there’s coming an end – fruit for my Master, and fruit for His friends! Oh to be the garden of God – there’s no greater honor, and no greater cause!”