Tag: weeds

I want a garden of flowers, but the soil of my heart, needs work.

Soil, hard with clay and stone. A barren landscape. Plain. Forlorn. Similar to my heart, quite honestly, at times. Nothing will grow in this, except the weeds of discontent and misery.

But a shovel, some good soil and earth, a bit of sweat and great effort. And seeds of Truth and God’s Holy Word, can be received in the dirt to bring about hope.

The seeds are a promise. There’s now hope of refreshing fruit.

God speaks to His people so they understand difficult things:
“. . . unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.

But if it dies, it produces many seeds,” John 12:24, NIV.

“If it dies, it produces,” produces and multiplies. Life and fruit overcome barrenness.  And life overcomes death, all because a seed fell to the ground and dies.

What can this mean for you and me? Is the soil of my heart open to hear? Or do I carry on without a care?

The mystery is clarified. God’s Word simplifies:

 In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 

You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God.

 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

 But God was merciful!

We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you.

Openness to the Word softens the heart. Receiving the seed, is death on our part. But God then can work miraculously and bring life out of death. Only God brings life.

God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 

 God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 

You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. 

This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own.

God gives the gift. We simply receive. If our hearts are soft like good soil, and simply Believe.

  It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.

 God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live.

That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are. Ephesians 2 Contemporary English Version. 

An old hymn comes to mind:

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
  The emblem of suff’ring and shame,
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
  For a world of lost sinners was slain.(1)

Soil worked, seed in the ground, sun and water required, seed then dies, but by miracle it seems, a sprout appears. Hope for fruit right before our eyes.

Promise of a flower, a tomato, or pear. And for me and you, the fruit of the Spirit, more love, more patience, and self-control and gentleness. The ability for faithfulness and joy. Do we desire kindness and peace? Do we have the ability to do good

“. . . unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, . . .” 

it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, . . .”

the fruit of love is spread all over.

On the old rugged Cross, stain’d with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To pardon and sanctify me
So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Like a beautiful garden, is that what we desire to be? Soft hearts, bearing fruit?
Seeking God to help keep out the weeds, until the time He calls us home:
To the old rugged Cross, I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away
Where his glory forever I’ll share

The Old Rugged Cross, George Bennard, 1912

 

A Garden Story…

 It is a rough bit of ground, very hard with clay soil, with weed seeds planted everywhere in great variety. But it is time ‘to break up this fallow ground’-and deep down, I know, my own heart is as this dry ground.

My thoughts are overcome with weeds of lies and projections of non-truths about the future and other people. But, we think it’s only ‘me’, that the other guy has it ‘all together’ and ‘gets it right’ and everything always works out great for ‘him’. This garden seems hopeless, and yes, the soil of my heart will remain unfruitful, unless…
this ‘fallow ground’ is broken.
This is not easy work. There will be a scent of perspiration. Great amounts of energy will be expended – thoughts ,”I do not have time for this great expedition,” in effort to get me to ‘stop’ –  there is pain as the thorns of the nasty weeds, cut!
It sometimes seems like an impossible job – wondering, “how in the world can all these weeds grow so violently when the soil is only clay and rock? Nothing should grow in this soil!”
Breaking up the ‘fallow ground’ in this garden and turning it around to be fruitful just seems like a mountain too high to climb,so to speak. Maybe it just shouldn’t be done -forget about it, it’s just too hard a job. There’s no way all these weeds can be pulled out, there is no way this soil can go from rocky to soft. No, forget  it- this is an impossible job.
But there is a messenger with the words, “Don’t you know? Surely you have heard. Hasn’t someone told you from the beginning?”(paraphrased, Is. 40:21).“Didn’t you believe the report you heard? Didn’t someone tell you of the hand of God?” (paraphrased, Is. 53:1).
“He’s the Master Gardener, you know. All things are possible with Him. Didn’t you know that ‘He grew up like a small plant before the LORD and that He was like a root growing in dry ground’?(Is. 53:2). There was nothing strikingly beautiful about His appearance that made Him desirable. Yes, He was ‘a root growing in dry ground.’
“Surely, you know this, that He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering. People would not even look on Him. He was hated, and we didn’t even notice Him. But He took our suffering on Himself and felt our pain for us.” (Is. 53:2,3.)
Did we see His suffering in the garden? Did we see Him as He prayed for us? Did we see Him with the crown of thorns on His head? No, we didn’t know. None of us did. ‘We all have wandered away like sheep. Each of us has gone his own way.’ (Is. 53:6). “There is none righteous, no not one; there is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God…” (Romans 3:10,11). Our hearts are like stoney and weed infested gardens. There’s no hope for fruit.
But something has happened. The work has been done: “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. And His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44). “Surely our griefs he Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried…He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well being…” (Is. 53:5).
The Master Gardener was faithful in a ‘faithless’ land of stones and weeds. The Master Gardener was willing to face the task at hand, the sweat, the thorns, the pain and toil…breaking up of the fallow ground came upon Him; ‘He was  wounded for the wrong things we did. He was crushed for the evil things we did, (Is. 53:5, Int. Children’s Version)…that we might be healed.
Something happened,  He said, “I am willing.” Something happened, He said, “I believe in you.” ‘He willingly gave His life, He was treated like a criminal. But He carried away the sins of many people. And He asked forgiveness for those who sinned.”
Something happened, He said, “It is finished.”(John 19:30). 
The soil is made new, that it might bear fruit. Life will come from each desolate heart ‘ for God so loves ‘His garden, His garden is you and me, without Him we are nothing! “Who has believed His report?”(Is. 53:1). Will you?
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. for you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up…” (Is. 56:10-13).
“God made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21). And ‘in Him’ He speaks as a Master Gardener to His own, “No longer do  I call you servants, but I have called you friends. For all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit ..that whatever you ask the Father in my name,…He may give you.”(John 15:15).
You  and I, shall be like a garden …