“Where did these weeds come from?” – Matthew 13:27
From the Parable of Weeds in Matthew Chapter 13
I was outside early this morning pulling weeds. Yesterday’s heavy rain made this laborious task much easier. With a tight grasp and a hard pull, I was able to unearth the stubborn crabgrass and other weeds. The trick it to yank the plants out by the root leaving nothing behind. As I pulled weeds, I remembered my Father-in-law’s recent comment “April, you’re always pulling weeds.” I laughed at his comment, because if you were to see my yard, you will notice I do not have a green thumb, but I’m trying. My husband and I dream of having a beautifully landscaped yard, but it seems too big to tackle. Last year we hired a landscape architect which has helped us to have a plan. Currently, I am working on a small area of our back yard. My beloved has installed an underground irrigation system which automatically waters the yard daily. While we were on vacation we forgot and left the timer “on.” When we returned everything had grown, both flowers and weeds. Left unattended the weeds were crowding out my flowers, choking out what I had worked so hard to plant. As I pulled weeds, the heap of weeds began to pile up, so I placed the kids in charge of carrying the weeds away. As I continued to pull I was reminded that I need to pull the weeds that have grown in the garden of my mind and heart. Grudges and seeds of bitterness have taken root in areas that I didn’t intend. Sweat drips off my face as I pull and pray. I ask God to remove the weeds of sin of envy, jealousy, bitterness and grudges. The thing about weeds, it that one day they appear small and the next day, they have taken over the whole garden! God is teaching me the same thing occurs in our hearts. Like weeds, sin left unattended will begin to take over and choke out our lives. We need to be intentional about removing the weeds of sin in our hearts! I step back and assess the garden and see masses holes. Exposed. Now that the weeds are gone the mulch is overturn and pushed aside and garden looks empty and awful. This is the crucial time. Now is the time to replant. With my shovel I begin dividing the ground cover. I begin to intentionally transplanting ground cover in the areas were the weeds once took over. I am surrounded by a wonderful aroma as I replant the mint plants. Once our hearts are exposed and weeds of sin are removed our hearts are also at a critical place. It is then when we need to replant with seeds of God’s truth. God is teaching me to be intentional about what I am planting in my yard and in the garden of my heart. ~April “May you and I be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1:12
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