“The seed of God is in us. Given an intelligent and hard-working farmer, it will thrive and grow up to God, whose seed it is; and accordingly its fruits will be God-nature. Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds into nut trees, and God-seed into God.” (Meister Eckhart)

   We cannot cause spiritual growth, an expansion of meanings, an exaltation of value. But we are able to embrace an ideal that reflects true values, or as Eknath Easvaran puts it, “mold yourself in the image of the loftiest spiritual ideal (Conquest of Mind).” The Urantia Book (The UB) tells us. "Man cannot cause growth but he can supply favorable conditions." (100:3.7, p. 1097) We can definitely make plans such that growth will happen. We can be about the tasks of “organizing the soul for dynamic service,” (100:3.1) and mobilizing our faith.

We can lay out plans for growth like we plot garden rows;

with practice, becoming expert, we recognize the frailty

of certain plants, how basil is subject to killing frost,

if you’re impatient and put it in early,

cyclamen who seem to love winter, can wilt

in a freezing cold. Or late spring lettuce

scorched by blasts of sun, is withered by a

dessicating Diablo wind off the hills.

We rake compost, dig fertilizer into the soil.

It hurts our muscles; backs feel the strain.

We can stop to decide where each vegetable

and flower will have its most agreeable place,

by analyzing the hours of sunlight,

whether soil is acid or alkaline.

While you rest from the back pain, draw up a schedule

for activities of nurturing, watering, weed digging.

We won’t get to the point of reward

with ripe tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers otherwise.

Because this ground is dense with weeds,

we have to work at it many days, uprooting and hoeing,

Every day I water in the hot season, pinch off dead leaves

and prune branches, just like we try to remember to do

when striving to enhance our own reach for maturity using techniques

of meditation, prayer for the Spirit’s guidance as to the best way.

After weeks of preparation, harvest time arrives.

Help me to sharpen it, to feel the keenness of the blade

that harvests these many blessings.

Then the day when the fresh fruits of our labors go in the salad,

everyone in the house savoring homegrown flavors

makes oohs and ahs of pleasure.

Remember how the Psalmist sang to us:  

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalm 105)

What better way to understand such continual striving

than by making a garden.

   “This gospel of the kingdom is a living truth. I have told you it is like the leaven in the dough, like the grain of mustard seed; and now I declare that it is like the seed of the living being, which, from generation to generation, while it remains the same living seed, unfailingly unfolds itself in new manifestations and grows acceptably in channels of new adaptation to the peculiar needs and conditions of each successive generation. The revelation I have made to you is a living revelation, and I desire that it shall bear appropriate fruits in each individual and in each generation in accordance with the laws of spiritual growth, increase, and adaptative development. From generation to generation this gospel must show increasing vitality and exhibit greater depth of spiritual power. It must not be permitted to become merely a sacred memory, a mere tradition about me and the times in which we now live.” (The UB 178:1.15)

   “When there exists this living connection between divinity and humanity, if humanity should thoughtlessly and ignorantly pray for selfish ease and vainglorious accomplishments, there could be only one divine answer: more and increased bearing of the fruits of the spirit on the stems of the living branches. When the branch of the vine is alive, there can be only one answer to all its petitions: increased grape bearing. In fact, the branch exists only for, and can do nothing except, fruit bearing, yielding grapes. So does the true believer exist only for the purpose of bearing the fruits of the spirit: to love man as he himself has been loved by God—that we should love one another, even as Jesus has loved us.” (The UB 180:2.5)