Dear friends:

 

Most of us can relate to the spring task of planting seeds in the garden or in the fields, and the summer task of keeping the weeds from choking out the valuable plants.  Not many people enjoy weeding as it can be a hot, sweaty, back-straining job.  As one unknown homemaker is to have written, “I don’t pull weeds in the garden because . . . I don’t want to get in God’s way, He is an excellent designer!”

 

Jesus told the story of an enemy of a farmer coming to a farmer’s field at night and sowing weeds among the wheat.  Later in the season, everyone was shocked to see all the weeds along with the wheat.  Jesus told his followers that, in the story, the good seeds stand for the godliness in people, and the weed seeds stand for the evil in people.  At the end of the age the weeds will be gathered and thrown into the fire, and the good fruit will be brought into God’s kingdom.  (see the whole story in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

 

Jesus’ message for us, whether we are gardeners or not, is to not let destructive evil overtake us.  It is important to recognize the weeds, the evil destructive attitudes and behaviors in us when they are small.  How many parents have been too late in recognizing the weeds growing in the life of their teenagers, weeds like alcohol or drug abuse, or running in the wrong crowd?  How many adults have realized too late addictions that have taken over their lives and strangled them?  For many more, negative attitudes such as jealousy, bitterness, and resentments can break hearts and tear apart relationships.

 

God has no desire to see us “burn” in a fiery furnace, either in eternity or in our present lives.  God has sent a savior for us.  God offers forgiveness, cleansing, and reconciliation.  God only wants to pull out the weeds, the sins that hurt and destroy us, and throw them into the fire.

 

What ‘weeds’ are growing up in your life that need to be removed?  Let God, the master gardener, work good things in you and take the weeds away.  God is our savior and redeemer.  God restores, heals, and brings new growth in our spirits.  Let God be the ‘miracle grow’ in you.

 

Blessings for the summer,

 

Pastor Dennis