Are you prone to ponder? After all, the hours spent in the garden with hands busy working leave the mind free to roam, hopefully finding its way back home—to the Lord, who is always ready to join us in our garden work. Even better, He will work in us, filling our thoughts with His Kingdom ways, which got me thinking…K is for Kingdom! Let’s add to the A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word with this captivating concept (true, I couldn’t find a Bible plant beginning with the letter K), a good-humored convergence of the Kingdom of God and the plant kingdom. As I often say in my book chats and speeches, the plant kingdom mirrors the God’s Kingdom; perhaps a poem is the best way to explore this engaging word-play. That’s my premise, anyway!
Enjoy this sing-song devotion, a sort of whistle-while-you-work praise to go along with the blessings of a summer garden.
click links to reveal underlying Scriptures
is for Kingdom,
a curious capture in this primer of Biblical plants.
Yet all plants belong to the Kingdom Plantae,
so their study is not left to chance;
but progresses with order, using Latin names,
with systematic approach and description.
Gardeners and scientists across languages and continents
can converse with common benediction.
Plant classification was formed from centuries of observing,
distilled to practice when one man declared:
Two names will suffice! Binomial nomenclature born,
Carl von Linné at length prepared
a succession of categories based not on plant type,
like tree, shrub, frond, or fruit;
but by counting stamens and pistils—reproductive plant parts—
his wisdom decisive and astute.
He was a pastor and gardener’s son, after all,
growing up in concert with plants and God’s ways.
His drive to sort God’s creation by similarities
gave botany its foundation, still working today.
Say with me: species, genus, family,
order, class, phylum or division—
these ranks make up Kingdom Plantae—
to help pinpoint the plant you envision.
Yet some subjects of Kingdom Plantae
already held regal presumption.
Jesus called on seeds, grains, weeds, gardens, and trees
to teach how God’s Kingdom functions.
God’s Kingdom? What do you mean—
where is the world is that?
Well, Jesus said, it has already drawn near;
come closer and we’ll chat!
When Jesus came (long before von Linné), he spoke of
royal governance—first glimpsed in Sinai,
where the Lord called forth a kingdom of priests,
a people whose hearts would comply
with the rulings of God Almighty, ADONAI,
possessor of all the earth.
He created all the plants (people, animals, and algae, too)
and knows how wonderfully they work.
The prophet Daniel hinted to God’s Kingdom existence
and won over the kings of his era
to the mystery and power of Most High God,
declaring His Dominion to last forever.
“Behold, your King is coming to you,”
sang the servant Zechariah in prophecy;
humbly, not in a horse-drawn chariot,
but holding His own reins on a donkey.
To find this Kingdom? Enter in with trust in Jesus,
then level a path through your heart for His reign.
Jesus is the King of God’s Kingdom,
His name—beyond binomials—above all names.
Not a tangible place, not a visible region,
but a vividly real frontier.
Jesus teaches much about God’s Kingdom
to those with ears to hear.
His Kingdom grows as mustard seeds,
small, sure sprouts holding ground expansively.
His Kingdom shelters as a shady tree,
nestling all who fly in landing gleefully.
His Kingdom is sunny-bright with gleaming citizens,
reflecting the righteous cover of their King.
His Kingdom is weed-free with nourishing fill,
rid of anything lawless or death-wielding.
Child-like describes Kingdom atmosphere,
a simple handhold of God’s surety.
Unshakable describes Kingdom directive,
and mercy is the currency.
Alas, God’s Kingdom’s location remains elusive,
and though entrance to this realm is hard-won,
knowing it is filled with virtue, peace and joy
the Kingdom sounds a lot like a garden!
so we ourselves will walk in the Name of Adonai Eloheinu, forever and ever. Micah 4:5 TLV
…walking in these kingdom realities pleases God Romans 14:18 TPT
Find more alphabetical plants of the Bible in the A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word published for now on this website, someday to be a cozy book to read with your inner child!
Read more about the Plantae kingdom and Carl von Linné at Britannica.com; image of Species Plantarum courtesy The Linnean Society, www.linnean.org, see “Species Plantarum at 270,” posted September 6, 2023
Photo Credits: all other photos ©Shelley S. Cramm heavenly blue flowers of Nigella sativa at the Denver Botanic Gardens; King Solomon’s throne portrayed at the Israel Prayer Garden, Denton TX
TLV denotes Scripture quotation taken from Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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
