Tag: gardening

The Root of the Problem

Leave a comment

 Have you ever let something go? You knew that it needed attention but due to lack of time and priorities it just got ignored. That’s what happened to the landscaping at our house. These past 5 weeks, since we’ve moved in, have been busy. And pulling weeds were at the bottom of the list of things to do. Frankly, even if it had taken precedence it has been just too hot outside to spend hours working in the yard.

But like everything else that gets ignored, eventually you have to deal with the problem. So yesterday morning Abigail and I decided to attack our overgrown garden. An hour into pulling weeds we were both covered in dirt. The looks of our garden was beginning to improve and opportunity sprung up for a spiritual lesson.

“Abigail” I said, “You have to pull the roots up with the weeds so that they will not grow back.”

I explained to my daughter that while it was easier to just pull the tops off the weeds, that if she did not dig down deep in a few days they would pop back up. I continued to explain that the same principle applied to our spiritual life.

“Take for example the problem of jealousy. A person can say in their heart that it is wrong to be jealous and that they will try to stop their behavior. However, unless the root of the problem is dealt with – SIN – jealousy will return in a few days.”

Like ugly weeds, a Christian will have to deal with many thorns during their life – anger, bitterness, selfishness, covetousness, deception – just to name a few. Our flesh desires to cover up the problem by removing the outward part that shows. After all, our prideful nature does not want others to see us as we really are. But hiden in our heart there is an underlying root at each problem that must be dealt with. And because this root is SIN only God can uproot it. Only God can cleanse us from these sins. Only God has the power to forgive and cast them as far as the East is from the West. Only God can give us the ability to overcome our sins and properly deal with them.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness,” Romans 6:14-18.

I am thankful that my Lord is a better gardener than I am. If we allow Him, He will continually uproot the sins in our life that cause us to stumble. He will carefully plant into our hearts faith in that we can be rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17) and become a beautiful creation for His glory alone.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Leave a comment

Ladies, spring is just around the corner and before we know it people will start planting their gardens.  Everyone wants to see their plants healthy and growing.  For that to happen, plants need food, water, sunshine, fertilizer, and some tending to.  Without one or more of these key ingredients plants will die.

Plants are not the only things in life that grow.  People grow too or at least they should.  Growth is healthy.  People get very concerned when a baby does not physically grow.  Likewise, people get very concerned when a child does not mentally grow.  But, what about a child of God who does not spiritually grow?

Just like a plant depends upon food and water, so do we.  Without either we will not survive.  But, what about our spiritual food?  A child of God will spiritually wither away without daily feeding upon the Word of God.   If you only ate once a week you would be starving.  How many people are starving spiritually?  They go days, weeks, or months without feeding their spirit.

Fertilizer is also very beneficial to the healthy growth of a plant.  Fertilizer is a little extra boost of nourishment every now and then.  That extra nourishment in a Christian’s life comes in the form of weekly corporate worship.  When we come together to pray, praise God, and hear His Words proclaimed we are nourished in our faith.  Without it, or when it is sporadic, our spiritual growth will become stale and stagnant.

Plants also need tending to.  Sometimes we need to give plants extra support or they will fall over.  Sometimes we must pull out the weeds that are choking them.  Sometimes plants need to be transported to a better location.  God has created us to need tending to as well.  In order for us to spiritually grow we need extra support and encouragement from our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Without it we might fall over.  Sometime we need someone to come alongside us and point out the “weeds” growing in our lives and help to “pluck them out.”  Sometimes, we need a helping hand to bear our burdens because the environment we are in is detrimental to our spiritual life.  But a person who does not fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ will not be tended to as they should.  Many people miss blessings and opportunities for God to work because they are not involved in the local church, fellowships, and activities.

Ladies, how does your garden grow?  Are you healthy?  Are you strong in the Lord?  Are you spiritually growing in your faith?  Do you need some sonshine?  If so, read your Bible daily.  Be faithful  to the Lord and His church.  Be sure and fellowship with your brothers and sisters as often as possible.  When you do all of this, you will bloom!  You will flourish!  And you will find yourself healthy and thriving for the Lord!