Lenten Reflection: Week 1

 

Lenten Reflection: Week 1

Everyone likes to win! I admit, I entered the HGTV contest every day (two places!!) to win the home at Saint Simons
… I haven’t heard from them yet – have you? I enjoy information from emails that I signed up for while entering (I wonder, do they know that I signed up for contact and does that help??). One article caught my attention: “Thirteen Weeds to Watch For”. Oh yeah – I want to get ahead of the weed industry that will begin sprouting. There are some sneaking in already with this warm weather!
 
Weeds are the Bain of a Gardner’s life. They send deep roots, mar the smooth canvas of a lawn, or mess with the symmetry of a flower bed, and they steal nutrients from the soil we carefully feed and amend for our flowers. Weeds mask their intent to take over by going under the landscape for a yard or two, then emerging away from the root bed, playing with your confidence that you “got it all”. They have genius engineering built into their DNA, so they can pop off seeds like missiles or fly with the wind to corners yet discovered in the landscape (think dandelions).
 
Yes, I have an awareness of weeds and all the damage they can do. There is a whole industry created around weed control and the mark of a successful Gardner is more garden, less weeds, right?
 
Sort of like sin, I am thinking…. we know the sins that separate us from a beautiful life in Christ. We may even practice
some of the known ways to avoid sin – we pray, seek out ways to be kind, serve others, give. Still
the potential remains always around us, in us, to slip into the easy way of separation from God.
 
Jesus spoke often about seeds, growth and potential – always with the deeper context of how we allow God’s Word and our life flourish through Him. This Lent season, perhaps there are some weeds (sins) you have noticed that you want to pull or remove in your soul landscape. Trust that God has just the right formula to give you power over the things that hinder your spiritual life and growth. Pray, fast, listen, study God’s Word, love, show mercy, forgive as you have been forgiven.
 
Quiz Corner: Did you recognize the weeds above and to the left? 1) Henbit – reproduce by seed, but can also root from stem pieces. Hand-pull when soil is moist 2) Dandelion – a perennial weed. Dig or spot-spray if you only have a few offenders. Apply pre-emergent herbicide in fall to interrupt seed germination 3) White Clover – a perennial weed that spreads rapidly by stems that creep both above and underground. You can hand-pull or spot spray plant with herbicide that kills weeds, not grass.
 
Can you recognize spiritual offenders? Greed, envy, jealousy, pride, selfishness, anger, evil intentions, dissension, lust… anything that separates us from God.
 
“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” James 4:7-10 The Message

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