God's Beautiful Farm

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. -Gen 2:8, 15

Here we find right at the commencement of this world, God planted the first garden, thus giving us a perpetual memorial of His creative and also His sustaining power. We see also that God appointed man his work “to dress it and to keep it”.  This was appointed as a blessing to man because in so doing, he would be co-laboring with his Creator. It should be noticed that this was prior to the fall of man. Hence, even in a perfected state, man still required the development that comes only through manual labor. How much more then is this development needful in our fallen state? We are told:

At the creation, labor was appointed as a blessing. It meant development, power, happiness. The changed condition of the earth through the curse of sin has brought a change in the conditions of labor; yet though now attended with anxiety, weariness, and pain, it is still a source of happiness and development. And it is a safeguard against temptation. Its discipline places a check on self-indulgence, and promotes industry, purity, and firmness. Thus it becomes a part of God's great plan for our recovery from the Fall.  {Ed 214.1} 

No line of manual training is of more value than agriculture. {Ed 219.1}

We see therefore that while agriculture holds many blessings, the greatest of these is the full and final development of our character.

Note the scriptural account of the work of the redeemed in heaven:

And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. –Isa 65:21

Just think of it… the very work at the creation of man is the very work for the restoration of man and will be the very work of the glorification of man!

This summer, M.E.E.T. Ministry continues to carry out this wonderful plan of gardening instituted at the beginning.  We have been reaping bountifully the wonderful treasures of the earth from “God’s Beautiful Farm”. We have growing tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, beets, carrots, onions, garlic, corn, okra, beans, peas, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, butternut squash, bell peppers, blueberries, pear, apples, peaches, muscadines and grapes. The Lord is teaching us precious lessons from His lesson book (the book of nature) and we are enjoying the fruit of our labors!

We are still in need of a Farm Manager to help us in our efforts to increase production, yield and preservation. Truly the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few. If you or anyone you know might be interested, please contact us at 731-986-3518 or forward your resume to nedwards@meetministry.org.

In God's plan for Israel every family had a home on the land, with sufficient ground for tilling. Thus were provided both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious, and self-supporting life. And no devising of men has ever improved upon that plan. To the world's departure from it is owing, to a large degree, the poverty and wretchedness that exist today. {MH 183.3}