Unwelcome Weeds

 Wash yourselves, clean up your lives; remove every speck of evil in what you do before Me. Put an end to all your evil.
Learn to do good; commit yourselvesto seeking justice. Make right for the world’s most vulnerable—the oppressed, the orphaned, the widow. (Isaiah 1: 16-17 The Voice)

Tall weeds protruded from delicate pink blooms. The annoying intruders blemished the landscape in front of my home. 

            When I set down containers of new plants, more pesky weeds caught my attention. Their roots spread out across the mulch and some intertwined with flower stems. 

            As I dug holes for my fresh flowers, I also yanked weed after weed from the ground. 

            Sweat dripped down my face. Dirt clung to my knees as I knelt down to fill each hole with flourishing pink blooms. 

            After the new flowers were positioned, I focused on weeds woven into my existing flowers. My small shovel dug down to get their roots. With a sense of satisfaction, I looked at the long weeds dangling from my hands.  

            Satisfaction turned to alarm when I noticed broken foliage laying on the ground. Even though I tried to extract the weeds carefully, they refused to let go.  Unfortunately, my zeal in removing the weeds also broke off my flowers. 

            Blood dripped down my arm after broken stems punctured my thin skin. Another consequence of unwelcome invaders who preyed on my garden.  

                        While weeds grew within the flowers, they hampered healthy growth. But removal inflicted even more damage.  

            Flowers will grow new shoots and eventually produce healthy vegetation. Over time, my battered arm will heal. 

            Like weeds, bad habits, addictions, unhealthy relationships, unforgiveness, greed… strangle and damage lives. Elimination doesn’t come easily and more damage may occur.

            Pruning and untangling the intruders will eventually allow lives to heal and flourish despite the times of pain and sadness. 

Creator, thank you for pruning the unhealthy parts of our lives so we can be fruitful and follow your path. Amen

A Spectacular Rainbow

Hours before dawn, I awoke. My clock taunted me for an hour before I gave up and slipped from bed.

            Blackness obscured the lake while I read my Bible on the patio. Finally, light broke through as I continued reading daily devotionals.

            Rain dimpled the lake for a while. Days and days of rain had filled the lake. Scraggly, green grass surrounded my home. Light clouds veiled the sky and cast a gloomy ambiance. The morning view matched my tired body and subdued mood. 

            Movement through the screen caught my eye. My neighbor surprised me and said, “Come and look.”

            I closed the patio door soundlessly to not disturb the wildlife. Had she see a bear, bobcat or deer? 

            When I joined her between our homes, my eyes followed her gaze. A complete rainbow spread before us like a proud peacock. Vibrant colors embellished the sky. An arc, with a faint twin beside it, rose from behind a neighbors’ roof and dipped into a stand of trees. 

            We stared and marveled at the perfect rainbow. As I stood in the wet grass, I didn’t want to leave the special gift. 

            Both of us wanted to share the beauty, but her husband was the only one close to us. 

             “We could go knock on doors,” I said. 

            We laughed. Sleeping neighbors would probably not be delighted with our early morning visit.

            After I returned to my patio, I remembered looking at the sunless lake view. Each day I enjoy watching the changing flowers and lake as wildlife drop by. There hadn’t been anything unusual.

            Only when my friend summoned me, did I move from my comfortable chair and see the masterpiece in front of my house. I concentrated on the routine and didn’t see the spectacular. 

            I can become so secure in my safe, little world that I neglect to see what adventure God has for me. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV)

Loving Father, help me to move from my comfort zone to explore your path for me. Amen 

The Scary Snake

In the dim light before going to bed, I noticed an unwelcome visitor as I walked to the kitchen for a last minute drink of water. 

            At my feet, a small, brown snake formed an S on my wooden floor. I jumped back and tried to catch my breath.

            Was it dead? Was it waiting to strike? How did it get into my house? How would I get rid of it? I certainly couldn’t sleep with the intruder inside.

            Thoughts swirled in my mind as I tried to think of a plan. From afar, I studied the motionless creature. 

            Realizing that I had to figure out what to do, I inched closer and closer to the scary creature. Then I bent down near the unmoving snake. With trepidation, I reached out and touched the end of his body. 

            His softness surprised me. Laughter overtook me. I was thankful no one was watching or making a video.   

            The “snake” was actually a length of brown yarn. I had no idea how it ended up in the middle of my floor. My yarn bag was not even in that room, and I had not crocheted in several days. 

            The snake incident made me giggle at myself. But that wasn’t the first time I have been afraid and concerned about something that was harmless and not what it seemed to be. What a waste of time and energy!

When anxiety overtakes me and worries are many, Your comfort lightens my soul.

 (Psalm 94:19 The Voice)

Heavenly Father, thank you for being with me in the difficult times and even when I concoct my own troubles. Amen    

A Sunflower Message

A smiling sunflower, on a four-foot plant outside my patio door, greeted me at dawn.  At its feet, several smaller plants bloomed. A garden of unplanned sunflowers made me smile. 

            Last summer, I planted one small sunflower. When the blooms turned brown, I pulled them off and tossed them to the sandy soil. Rain watered them. Sunlight caressed them. Winter’s cold enveloped them. I did nothing and forgot they were there. 

            The exquisite, but unplanned, collection of sunny blooms brings me happiness. They shine whether the day is bright or cloudy. Several times a day, I walk to the window so I can see the surprise gift. 

            I only threw the seeds to the ground. After that, God provided what they needed to flourish and multiply. 

            As Christians, we are to plant seeds. We can invite someone to church, pray for them, listen to their hurts, cry with them, share a meal, or tell them how God loves them. Opportunities come often. We never know exactly how the seeds we sow will be used.

            Some seeds die. Some sprout and grow for a short time. Others germinate, thrive and produce more. At times, we are to nourish the seeds someone else has planted.  

This is what the parable of the sower means. It is about the kingdom of heaven. When someone hears the story of the Kingdom and cannot understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away whatever goodness and holiness had been sown in the heart. This is like the seeds sown beside the road. You know people who hear the word of God and receive it joyfully—but then, somehow, the word fails to take root in their hearts. It is temporary. As soon as there is trouble for those people, they trip: those people are the seeds strewn on the rocky soil. And you know people who hear the word, but it is choked inside them because they constantly worry and prefer the wealth and pleasures of the world: they prefer drunken dinner parties to prayer, power to piety, and riches to righteousness. Those people are like the seeds sown among thorns. The people who hear the word and receive it and grow in it—those are like the seeds sown on good soil. They produce a bumper crop, 30 or 60 or 100 times what was sown.

 (Matthew 13: 18-23 The Voice)

            

Jesus, show us ways we can plant seeds in this uncertain world. Also, help us also know how we are to nourish seeds planted by others so that they will know You. Amen

             

Garage Sale Treasures

But now make sure you shed such things: anger, rage, spite, slander, abusive language. And don’t go on lying to each other since you have sloughed away your old skin along with its evil practices for a fresh new you, which is continually renewed in knowledge according to the image of the One who created you. (Colossians 3: 9-10 The Voice)

The last stop during the community garage sale in my area, brought a surprise. I spied several small vases that would be perfect for our women’s club Mother’s Day outreach project. 

            “How much is this vase?” I asked.

            “You can have all of these for a dollar,” the lady said as she motioned to three or four vases. 

            “I’ve been looking for vases to take to some charities for Mother’s Day since we are giving them flowers,” I said.

            Her husband added more items. They filled a box with various sizes of vases, a large drinking glass and a glass pitcher. Much more than I needed but I decided I would donate the unwanted ones to another charity. One dollar paid for the filled box. 

            At home, the vases stayed in the garage. The smudged pitcher and glass went into dishwater so they would be clean before I donated them.

            As I scrubbed away the grime, two treasures appeared. Soap and water transformed the grubby glass into an ideal one to drink from each day.

            What I thought was a dull, plain pitcher became a light blue treasure with flowing lines and circular designs in the glass. It was better and much cheaper than ones I had seen in stores. 

            Only by cleaning the outside of my soiled purchases, did I recognize their value. 

            Greed, lying, addictions, anger, abusive language, gossip, resentment, worry, envy, … smudge and contaminate lives. The world tarnishes and hides the treasure inside. But Jesus can cleanse and set apart those who believe in Him to reveal the treasures of new lives. 

  

Father, thank you for creating new lives out of our old, tarnished ones. Amen

Silent Saturday

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. (John 14: 1 NIV)

For the second day, heavy clouds hovered over the lake. Silence just before dawn. Somberness after yesterday’s storm.

            Across the lake, a strip of light broke through the gray at the tree line. Gradually, the sun lightened the dark clouds to a light gray. Then a ring of blue defied the dreariness. 

            Though still bleak, the morning awoke with singing birds. An eagle flapped his impressive wings as he returned to his nest. 

            During yesterday’s pounding rain and gales, I searched for the new eagle’s nest. But in the storm, I couldn’t see it. I hoped it because of the rain. 

            In the calmness of Saturday morning, I heard the screeches of eagles. They were spared and the nest preserved. My wait was only overnight to find out their nest survived.

            After Jesus’ crucifixion, his disciples waited too. They tried to process his death.  Grief consumed them. They felt abandoned and lost. On silent Saturday, they wondered what to do. In their distress, they lost hope.

            The disciples had a longer time of despair and heartache. On Saturday after Good Friday, God was silent. A time of waiting and contemplation for His followers. They didn’t anticipate the celebration of Sunday. 

            Even though we know about the joy of Easter, we need to remember the times of abandonment, sadness and despair they endured. We also experience similar experiences but we are not alone. Silence doesn’t mean absence. 

Father, even in times of pain, you have not left us. Amen 

Remembering Good Friday

Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus and the ringleaders made faces, taunting. “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself: The Messiah of God-ha!”  (Luke 23: 34-35 The Message)

A gray shroud of clouds blocked the sun. Wind whipped the trees. Waves churned the lake. The dismal morning expressed the day perfectly. 

            As I read the Gospel accounts of Good Friday, I imagined what it must have been like in Jerusalem that day over two thousand years ago.

            A beaten, bloody Jesus hung on a rough-hewn cross. Jeering spectators watched the execution of Him between two other men. 

            Romans placed death crosses along thoroughfares to deter crime and rebellion. To remind occupied residents of Roman control. 

            Soldiers taunted Jesus. Laughed at the sign King of the Jews near his head. They gambled for his clothes. Their laugher and scoffing added to the indignity. Satisfied Jewish leaders looked on from afar. 

            Multitudes of people, in the city for Passover, streamed past the dying men. Some stopped to watch. Perhaps they had become accustomed to the horrible killings. 

            Confusion reigned too. How could that happen to the one who taught and healed? Jesus preached to thousands. Healed and comforted countless people when they were sick, lonely, and dejected. Where were they? Though He saved them, they deserted Him. 

            Even most of those closest to Him hid. Pretended they never knew Him.  

            But a small group of mourners stood at the foot of the cross. Horrified as they watched the spectacle.  In disbelief, they saw life slowly drain from his body.  

            Hour after hour, the grieving followers remained. They ignored the callous soldiers and heartless Jewish leaders. Their love for Jesus kept them close even though they didn’t understand what was happening. Discouragement and heartache consumed them but love kept them at His feet. 

            My gloomy lake scene fit the sorrow of the day Jesus died.  It reminded me the despair of Good Friday came before the joy of Easter. 

Lord, as we prepare for the celebration of Easter, take us to the agony of the cross. Amen