"And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray" (Mk. 14:32). 

If the seed is to be planted and grow well the soil must first be cultivated.  The ground must be worked; made free from rocks, weeds, and bugs that would kill the plants. 

Come with me now into the garden that Adam made - it is called Gethsemane. There are no sweet-smelling flowers in this garden.  This garden is full of thorns and thistles; thorns so sharp, so filled with poison, that they cause great pain, suffering and death.  There is a name for these thorns;  they are called "sin." 

The master Gardener has come into this garden now to consume these thorns - to make the ground good.  He worked so hard that He sweat blood (Lk. 22:44). 

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (II Cor. 5:21).  His body was the food and fertilizer to make the ground good; His blood, the necessary water to give life to His plants.

Let us make sure that we have been planted in this good ground by our heavenly Father.  If we haven't been, we shall be rooted up (Matt. 15:13).

We must be rooted and grounded in love, built up in Him (Christ), and established in the faith (Eph. 3:17, Col. 2:7).  Only He can give it (Rom. 5:5).  Ask Him for it - it is free - it is necessary -  it is vital (Jn. 3:3, I Jn. 4:7-13).

Oh Lord, till your garden; break up our fallow ground; take out the rocks of pride and self-righteousness; kill the weeds of selfishness; get rid of all the bugs of covetousness that are eating away our life.  Cultivate us and sow your precious seed in us - the seed of Christ - the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).  Only then will we be a living plant.

Regeneration is not the improvement of the flesh, or the cultivation of the old nature. It is the receiving of an altogether new and heavenly nature; a giving of a new heart, and a new spirit within, taking out the stony heart, enabling us to live a new life to the glory of God (Ezek. 11:19:20).