“For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed,
whose end is to be burned.” Hebrews 6:7-8 (NKJV)
One beautiful Sunday afternoon, the family decided to do some yard work. I had the grueling task of pulling the weeds. It seemed as though they had popped up overnight. Some of the weeds came out quite easily while others required a little more elbow grease. I even used a long screwdriver to get to the root of the larger ones.
It’s amazing that God can even speak to you while you are picking dirty, slimy, and disgusting weeds.
It dawned on me that these weeds are like sin. As I looked at all the weeds, I saw weeds with leaves, sticky weeds, weeds with thorns that stayed in my fingers, and even beautiful weeds that looked like small bushes.
There I was, on the ground, naming each one; jealousy, lies, hurt, and even pride. There were even a few dead, dried up weeds that had been sprayed but still had deep roots. It took a lot of pulling, but I finally finished. I looked down at my dirty, grass stained hands, and then looked at the finished product. My yard was once again clean and well kept.
Sometimes, just like weeds, we have to get to the root of our sin. It may take time, hard work, and even seeing the ugliness we keep hidden, but when it’s all said and done, we are restored. Oh, we will have to uproot them again, but as time goes on uprooting our sins will get easier and easier.
You see, having a beautiful yard is not only about the flowers you plant, grooming the bushes, and mowing the grass. It’s about pulling the weeds as well. Having a beautiful life isn’t only about what you have, loving the people around you, or even about how much you can give. It’s about finding those deep seated roots of sin, dousing them with God’s word, and uprooting them again and again.
Father, I give you permission to tend the garden of my soul. Uproot every bitter thing, and bring forth the blessings the Holy Spirit produces in me. I yield my life to your expert hand, and I repent of those “bad seeds” that would produce worthless things. Thank you for your tender grace which heals my soul with every uprooting. May you find pleasure as you walk through the garden of my life. In Jesus’ Name.
— Heather May
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