It’s a cloudy morning here. The air damp and soil moist after rain. Today’s list of must do’s is high yet this seems the perfect time, a good time to get out and work in the flower beds.
The baby sleeping soundly, still rest. I slip outside.
Bending low to the earth the weeds come easily. The wet soil loosens their grip.
As I continue to work I begin to see a lesson here. A few actually. First I see how important it is to have moist soil. When my heart is like soil after a fresh rain the weeds, the lies that take up residents can be easily pulled out. With hard heart soil the weeds seem to have a firmer grip. It takes more effort, time, patience to remove the weed lies.
Around the house in the older flower bed I am struck with another truth. Little weeds are popping up through the mulch. I am frustrated. Stopping to think I realize there is a reason for this. When I first put mulch down last year I did not take any preventative measures. Simply laid down the mulch on “weed free” dirt. I did not take the time to put down plastic or any other kind of cover. Now I am seeing the results…weeds finding their way through simple mulch layer.
Have I done this in my spiritual life as well? Are there days when I quickly read a verse or two from the Word? Or just say a prayer of thanks as an after thought? Yes. I am guilty. As I did with my flower bed so too with my relationship with my Father. Quickly doing just enough to get by.
When others look at me do they see weeds popping up? Yes, there may be fruit there. Others may see some juicy strawberries and plump blueberries but they see the weeds too. The weeds take away from the beauty of the fruit.
Slowing down. Pausing. Purposing to take the time. Lay the plastic. Meet with my Father. Really, meet with Him. Pray fervently. Not just when things feel hard. Read scripture and meditate on it. Hide it in my heart soil so that weeds can not take root. Truth is the plastic to weed lies. Truth nourishes our heart soil. Feeds the fruit and weeds can’t break through.
I recently heard this quote, “Life is not an emergency.” Slow down. Pause. Sit with Him. He is speaking. He is telling me something. He is telling you something. Take the time. Tend to heart soil. Prevent the weeds from growing. The beautiful fruit, the harvest… worth it! Worth all the effort, time, and patience.
Luke 8:15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. NLT
Great word picture again. I can see where those roots of bitterness that grew at times when my heart was hardened have taken so much longer to pull out. But God has faithfully dug a little deeper in my softened heart and brought about forgiveness.