Weeding the Garden

What has happened since Easter?

Weather has gotten warm. Sun is most often shining. The garden is planted and dangerously full of weeds...

Seriously, we had to perform a rescue mission last weekend to save some of our garden. These crazy weeds covered our entire garden, they block out all light. They hold in moisture so that everything below them rots. It was gross. Several of our lettuce plants had rotted off at the ground. Our peas, squash, and carrots were gasping for air. Our onions were sparse. Our corn and green beans are non-existent.

Yikes! What happened!

We didn't weed it every day. We didn't test to see what was good growth, and what was invasive and destructive.

Reminds me of the parable of the sower...

He [Jesus] told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” 

But what does it all mean? You may not like the explanation. You may have to weed the garden.

Do you really want to know? If not, stop reading. It wasn't meant for you.

Do you really want to know? If yes, you must be one of Jesus' disciples.

When he [Jesus] said this [the parable], he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.’

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures...

Are you producing a crop? How do you know? Peter says,

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Feeling ineffective and unproductive? Peter tells us we are given everything we need...knowledge of Him.

Grow in your knowledge of Him, plant His words in your soul daily, weed your garden hourly, and bask in the light of our God and His promises.

Peace be with you all.