Spring is springing upon us. Warmer days mean it is time to get the garden cart out and head to the woods. Today is one of those days. I was out there faster than you could say, "jack rabbit!" And then, discouragement hit!
For 23 years I have been tending to the woods and every time I am there it looks like no progress has been made. Creeping Charlie! Buckthorn! Virginia Creeper! Poison Ivy.! Yup, we have it all. And then, there is all that other nasty stuff!!
Why does it always seem that the bad stuff takes over the good? I can't find the hostas and hydrangeas that were planted and carefully tended to last year. I really need help. The roots of this stuff are so deep; I only scratch the surface. I am in very deep weeds.
Today as I weeded and pulled, yanked hard and tipped over I thought a lot about my own heart. The weeds of sin and pride get so easily tangled and deeply rooted in my heart. It robs me of joy. The struggles of life feel a lot like the futile gardening escapades in the woods. I am going nowhere fast. The entangling roots of sin need to be yanked out. I need to be seeking the Lord, putting my faith and trust in His Word. I need to take my focus off the need and turn my face upward to Jesus the author and perfecter of my faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrew 12:2.
I need the root of sin yanked out by Him so I can know His presence. Just like I need to free my hydrangeas from the poison ivy that entangles them so they can grow into beautiful blossoming plants, I need to have a heart that is freed from the deep roots of sin, and that comes only by humbly bowing at the foot of the cross. Then, when the fiery trials come my way rather than producing sin in me, forgiveness and faith will bear the fruit of joy and deep roots of satisfaction in Christ!!!!!!!! "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus!"
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