We are called to pray in all circumstances…
The Garden of Prayer welcomes us with a few steps surrounded by three beautiful flowering shrubs, mountain laurels, multi-colored and red roses, burning bushes, oak leaf hydrangeas, dwarf lilacs, dogwood trees, blue spruce trees, as well as many other spectacular shrubs and flowers.
The main feature of this garden is a large marble open Bible with two scriptures on each side. They are 1st Peter 1:24-25; Job 14:14 on the left side and Romans 6:23 and 1st Corinthians 15:57 on the right side.
The Bible is open as a reminder for all people to read God’s word so that we know the truth. There is a bench between the two dogwood trees to rest, practice the presence of God, and experience peace beyond human understanding in the midst of trials and sorrow. An invitation from God’s own heart, the one who created the first garden.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible we are given myriads of examples of prayer in all circumstances, (Deuteronomy 4:7; 2nd Chronicles 7:14-15; Psalm 86:5-7; Mark 11:24-25; Philippians 4:6-7; 1st Thessalonians 5:16-17; James 5:13-16).
We are also given guidelines on how to pray, Matthew 6: 5-15. In John 17:1-26 Jesus prays for himself, then for his disciples and for all believers. He spent many hours alone seeking His Father in prayer in quiet mountain settings as well as in the gardens of the Bible. We are called to pray in all circumstances, it is a privilege.
“The best place to find God is in a garden,” affirms George Bernard Shaw. “You can dig for him there.”
We invite you to pause in this lovely and quiet garden, enjoy the beauty, the fragrance of its flowers, and take a moment to offer a prayer for yourself and others in the midst of the storms of life.
THE FIVE GARDENS OF GOD
by Murray Andrew Pura
My God
Builder of the green world and maker of my soul
show me what truth there is to be found
in places set apart
where flowers and trees and herbs gather
and your Spirit with them.
I ask not so much to learn
what Columbine petals mean
or a sprig of marjoram
or a bed of lavender.
But I do ask to know
what a garden means
and what you wish to say to me in it.
It is you I want to see
among the stalks and stems
your voice I want to hear
where breezes and bees
and grey-backed sparrows live.
In all your gardens
I wish to sit and wait
and listen
in the cool of the evening
for the sound of you walking
between the raspberry canes
and the lilac
to the stone seat
where we may speak friend to friend.
In the name of Jesus.
About Alto-Reste Park
Our mission is to honor and celebrate life by providing clarity and guidance during times of sadness and pain by offering a place of peace amidst scenes of cultured beauty. Regardless of whether someone chooses our park as their final resting place, we want everyone we counsel to be comfortable and satisfied with their final arrangements. We offer choice, compassion, and comfort before, during, and after each service. We do this to ensure every lost loved one is memorialized in a meaningful way.
