A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word

“Are you working on another book?” I am frequently asked. Well, more accurately, another book seems to be working in me! Out of the cozy moments curled-up, reading to our children, and the sheer delight of the treasured Scriptures and stories contained in plants and landscapes of the Bible, the manuscript for  A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word  is playing out before us.

Pitter-patter, rhyme and meter is the voice of this devotional. Linger in these excerpts as they evolve from the Garden in Delight Devotions Blog to a beautiful, illustrated book (someday) to enjoy, give to a garden-loving friend, or read aloud to a grandchild.

A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word

See the new book’s overview of alphabet plants from God’s Word listed below, and click the “See More” links for the complete poems as they first debuted in Devotions Blogs/category/garden-poetry .

Be sure as you are reading each poem to click highlighted phrases to see the verses revealed in God’s Word.

 is for almond

one of Israel’s best trees
yielding fall nut-fruits
from spring’s busy bees.

“a land flowing with milk and honey,”… See More

is for bitter herbs

the small story beginner
in the deliverance drama
of Passover dinner.

Bitter, harsh oppression the ancient Israelites suffered….See More

is for cedar

but not just any one;
we are sing-songing here
for the cedar of Lebanon.

Splendid in beauty….See More

is for date palm,

a desert delight.
To travelers worn out—
sweet relief in sight.

Straight, slender, tall trunks…See More

is for eaglewood, a sensational soaring

of exotic scent-imagery;
an aroma produced
in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees.

Other given names: agarwood, aloes…See More

is for fig tree,

a Bible plant indeed.
The first species mentioned
that we can taste and see.

More than good, figs are luscious—…See More

is for garlic

O, let us gush!!
In praise and thanksgiving
for the savory rush

of flavor that garlic...See More

is for hyssop

a lowly, green plant,
with a scent and a story
certain to enchant.

Hyssop grows in fierce sunlight…See More

is for Israel

a land and a people,
a deeply formed union
like petals cupped in their sepals.

Israel, a son—…See More

is for juniper

evergreen in Israel’s land,
a lovely respite
from the dull browns of sand

and arid terrain found across its southern region…. See More

is for bay laurel tree

by its leaves we know it;
noteworthy of the noble Lord:
The Word-became-flesh Poet.

In ancient Greece, fresh swags of green…See More

is for mustard

seeds made famous in God’s Word.
Mentioned many times by Jesus,
their message must be heard.

Wake up! The smallest will grow and become…See More

is for nigella,

the prettiest posy yet
to grace in rhyme and meter
the Bible-plants alphabet.

This nice garden flourish….See More

is for olive tree,

if there were only one
to picture the peace
we have in the Son

then olive would show us…See More

is for pomegranate

that makes a big splash;
God’s wonderful blessing
revealed in a flash

of its multitude of seeds—…See More 

is for Quercus,

the genus of oak trees,
set apart in Scripture
when one’s faith feels the squeeze.

Questions surely quiz us…See More

is for rockrose

Latin name, Cistus;
its rose-looking flowers
are here to assist us.

Rockrose hides in God’s Word in…See More

is for star of Bethlehem,

a small, Holy Land flower,
which, to a city under siege,
became Samaria’s pricey flour.

A momentary mention in a crisis-story …See More

is for thistles,

and their accomplice, thorns,
plants as age-old evidence—
The Garden Story’s page was torn.

Eden was everything good and pleasing…See More

is for umbellifers,

a family of flavorsome plants
scattered humbly in few Bible verses,
nonetheless grounding God’s Word in the land.

Particular details, the umbels embellish…See More

The Vinedresser’s Creed

Matching species to climate,
and terrain to vine’s need
Of air circulation —
morning’s dew must be freed…See More

is for wheat

earth’s finest flour milled from standing grain;
watered in the holy land
by winter and spring rains.

The ancient cereal is well-known…See More

Let’s celebrate Y

with mYrtle, the leafY trees
whose branches renown,
are lifted ceremoniouslY

to add festive fragrance….See More

is for zera’

the Hebrew word for “seed.”
A garden’s humble miracle:
this year’s harvest will succeed

in a bounty for next year!…See More

All poems, sketches and photos © Shelley S. Cramm

“The Vinedresser’s Creed” first appeared in God’s Word for Gardeners Bible in the Away from the Last Supper devotions, page 1220