Spring and early summer is such a busy time, with all the yardwork and gardening that needs to be done. Flowers and vegetables to be planted, pots and hanging baskets to be arranged once again. Yards transformed from the season of frozen terrain of winter, now thawing in the spring rains. If you participate in this activity, you understand the hours spent in tending to these things. It is often a season of celebrations, graduations at the end of a school year, weddings, or other special holidays! Once again, you work hard to bring beauty to the yards that will be used when hosting BBQ’s, playing outdoor games and generally having fun with family and friends.
Weeds once pulled and tended to, have come back in such abundance, and often the flowers that were supposed to return have not survived as well. When seeking to remove the unwanted weeds, I see the long, tenacious roots that leave their underground domain only with much resistance. I see the network of smaller root fibers that extend under the surface and allow for the multitude of plants we categorize as nasty “weeds”.
The flowers that we desire in our gardens, often take much more intentional nurture and care to withstand the challenges of the long, cold winter.
As I tend to our gardens this year, I am strongly reminded of some deeper truths. That which is undesirable, such as a bad habit, unkind thoughts, or resentments are like the ugly, tenacious weeds. They may have been “dealt with” at one time, but regrettably come back with very little effort or cause.
The “flowers” (for example--the beauty of pure thoughts, kind words, and a heart that is like our heavenly Father) can often be overcome by the negative. It takes diligent, intentional decisions to confess these to God, and ask for His grace to forgive and transform our hearts to be more like His. He promises His Holy Spirit to be at work “to will and to do His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13a), but we need to diligently bring it all before Him.
As the divine Creator and maker of all things beautiful; the Vine of which we are the branches (John 15: 1, 5) God knows how to prune and care for us, the branches in His vineyard. Psalms were often songs learned and sung by Jewish people throughout the ages. I am reminded of Psalm 1: 1-3 (ESV). This one speaks of the person who is blessed vs. the one who chooses to oppose God.
“Blessed is the man, who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, not sits in the seat of scoffers;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree, planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.”
What a beautiful picture! May we be like that tree that is watered and does not wither, that yields its fruit in season, and prospers.
Dear Father in heaven, work in us to yield the fruits of Your Holy Spirit. Help us to be rooted in You and watered by Your living water! In Jesus’ name, Amen.