One of the great things about having my Grams so close is all of the new things she is teaching me, lately mostly about gardening. The other day, I went out to pull the weeds from the front flower bed and was a bit bummed that I didn't have any means of listening to music. I'm someone that likes to have background noise when I do tasks.
I am SO glad that I didn't. In the natural state I was in, there was a quiet that I had forgotten existed. One that I had, to my own disadvantage and demise, not sought out in awhile. There I was, doing a mundane task and not having any distractions...and I began to fellowship with my Jesus. All too often I, admittedly, rush through the day praying without ceasing and talking to God and praising Him for one thing or another (or asking about things) but if I am being honest, I haven't been a very good listener lately. Even my "quiet time" I realize has been full of me talking. In that moment I was listening and what a sweet voice I heard. How ashamed I was when I realized the fact that I had been very selfish in my fellowship. It was nice listening and more filling in that short time, than all of the time I had spent with Him in passing the last few months.
I have heard time and again that pulling weeds is a lot like sin. That we really need to pull the roots up in order for them to die. I've always agreed with that, but there was something about actually doing it that made it come alive in a new way. My Grams had told me to pull all the weeds that had grown in this one spot, it looked like a big pile of them. When I started to pull them, I realized that underneath was a bush that they were entangled with. My Grams had forgotten about it I guess because she told me it was all weeds. How true is this in some of our lives? The beautiful bush that was once there is no longer seen to the world, and forgotten to many because we have allowed our "weeds" to take over! It also made me realize that a passerby would look at the flower bed once I was finished and think it looked nice and clean, having not seen what was there before, but I, having been the one pulling the weeds would know the truth. I didn't pull all the weeds up by their roots. I knew that some would grow back and I would have to get out there again and pull them, but they would be more manageable because I had gotten rid of "most of them." How often do we do that in our lives too... clean up our sin/weeds so that we look good to people passing by, knowing full well that there is still sin lurking beneath the surface. How many times do we tell ourselves, well I got rid of most of it, I can control the rest...I can stay on top of them... I can maintain a good appearance. I have learned in my life that it is better to do it right the first time. Pull the weeds, roots and all, so that nothing remains. Yes, different weeds may grown in their place in the future... but plan to pull those up too. Gardening is a lot of work. Especially if you are going to not take shortcuts and do it the right way. God is the ultimate gardener... how awesome is it that once we allow Him in to our lives that He works diligently on us, pruning us, loving us, planting us in rich soil to grow... if we allow Him!
I know this is a tad scatterbrained, but after running it in my mind for days before having a chance to sit down and write it... it was bound to be.
Thank You Lord for helping me get out of my own way so that I could HEAR YOU!!!!!! I am sorry that I get in my own way sometimes. Thank You for the lessons You are gentle enough to teach me.
