Prepare my heart pull those weeds

We all know about weeds.  Those pesky plants that seem almost impossible to kill and if not taken care of they will invade and choke out the plants that we want to grow.  Jesus seems to refer to these when He spoke about the soils.

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Matthew 13:7

Day 2

Some of those things that God wants us to clear out of the way are thorns. Thorns that if not pulled out will choke us spiritually. They will continue to grow in strength and number if drastic actions are not immediately taken. 

One summer, I neglected to check our flowers before leaving on a 2 week trip. When we returned I was amazed at how quickly these little buggers had grown. They were as tall as I was. It took a lot of digging and sweat to remove them.  Did I mention that they have a thick thorny flesh that irritates the skin and causes a rash? What a painful experience. I learned that it is better to deal with them when they first show up than wait until it becomes so painful.

Clearing the path for God to work in our lives makes sense in light of John 15:5.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
The vine is the life giving part of the plant. The branches and leaves will die if they are not connected, unblocked from the the vine.  When we allow anything to get in the way of the Holy Spirit filling our lives and creating a steady flow of God's power into us we are suffocating and eventually we will wither and die as Christians. 

We must tend to our hearts and identify the weeds that are trying to choke out our relationship with God. Even the good things can become a weed. 

Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you what your weeds are.

Prayer
Jesus, point out to me the weeds that so easily entangles me. Remove them in their entirety, roots and all.

Kudzo Plant

Travelling through Kentucky and Tennessee I saw this beautiful lush green plant. Majestically growing up the side of trees, houses and barns. It was everywhere. While in Tennessee we were in the midst of the Smoky mountains, and there again we saw this beautiful vine. 


We were with some friends and had decided to go zip-lining. After we were all decked out in our stylish zip-lining gear we headed outside. To the left of us in the field were three goats. The goats were there to eat the Kudzu. It was in that moment that I learned about the dangers of this lush green plant. 


Kudzu is a climbing, semi-woody, perennial. This plant was originally imported from Asia in the early 1900s. It was planted with the good intentions of erosion control and food for livestock. Some even used it for ornamental purposes.

Some interesting facts

• Kudzu grows well in most conditions and soil types except for saturated soils.
• It prefers sunny, abandoned fields, roadsides and undisturbed areas. 
• This beautiful green leafy plant has fragrant purple flowers that form on the vines.
• After it has grown and matured the kudzu plants will grow quickly, a single root can produce 30 vines. Kudzu rampantly spreads to form dense mats over the ground, shrubs, mature trees and buildings, reaching more than 60 feet high.  
• It can grow a foot a day!
•  Unfortunately, killing this plant is difficult and may take up to 10 years.

What I thought originally was a beautiful plant is actually a deadly killer! Kudzu kills plants by smothering them under their dense leaves. By not allowing light to penetrate through it's leaves, it slowly destroys it's victims. 


What I learned


It is easy to think that something is harmless. Most things are fine until that very thing takes over your life. Sin is like that. But like the Kudzu, once it takes root it will spread. 

As it spreads it will begin to kill the good things that God has planned for you, leaving nothing but regrets and vines in its wake. 

Do you have something in your life that has begun to take over? 
What has gotten in the way of your relationship with God?
Where have you abandoned your commitment to grow?
Are you feeling smothered by a decision that you have made?
What is blocking out the light of Christ in your thoughts?


There is only one gardener who can remove this from your life.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1

Like the Kudzu, sin cannot grow when our lives are saturated with with Jesus. He is the only protection and cure for this! John 15:5-6

bananas

Bananas are such a cool fruit! 

They come in their own wrapper, are portable, don't need refrigeration and are yummy!

The downside is that they don't last long once they are picked from the tree.  A soon as they are severed from the tree they begin to ripen and eventually they will become brown and mushy.

The tree is their source of nourishment. the moment they are not grafted into the tree they begin to die.

The same is true for us.

The moment that we pull away from, become disconnected from, separate from the life giving source of Jesus. We will begin to deteriorate and die.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Unlike bananas, we can reconnect any time to the source of life. 

Father, help us to stay connected, stay in touch with you. Pull us back when we try to do things on our own.