Several years back, my husband built a raised bed to plant my vegetables in. I love it but to my surprise it was inundated with weeds this year. (How does that happen when I’ve kept it weed free each year?) I’m sure if I had weeded it early in the season it would have been less of them.
A little less than a month ago I spent several hours (on different days) pulling out stray grass and weeds. This year I only planted peppers and tomatoes. There was a good size clump of daisies growing in it (where on earth did that come from?) which I chose to leave because I love their flowers.
Today, my dog Oliver and I went out to tackle those weeds…again. I pull them and Oliver sneaks them away, chomps on them for a minute or two then leaves them strewn on the lawn. I suppose I should be annoyed about it but I find everything he does funny…almost.
As I’m sure you know, new plants starts come in those little plastic 4 or 6 packs. When I finish with the plastic pack, Oliver will sneak it, chew it to pieces and leave those strewn on the lawn too.
One day I did not find this amusing. I told him to pick them up and put them in the wheelbarrow. And guess what? He did! Of course, he gets incentives…a tiny treat for every piece that made it in.
Sorry about that rabbit hole, I will go back to my weeds. As I was pulling them out I had to admire the tenacity of their roots. I like to talk with God as I work in the garden. I asked Him if there was any lingering weeds rooted in my soul.
No answer to that so I went on to discuss the beauty of the daisies and other flowers in my yard. But tonight He (God) reminded me of several different weeds that still had some roots to pull. (Bummer, I thought I was doing good.)
Probably the main one was that I never want anyone to know that I don’t have things under control and don’t want to show my vulnerability. (Is that a pride issue?)
I realize that is an issue with many people but that does not mean it is not a problem for me. If I am going to give myself fully to the Lord, I need to be humble and vulnerable before Him.
Here’s what I find for me…I think I give myself fully to the Lord but then He shows me where I am holding back.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I find that giving myself fully to the Lord is an ongoing process. Any time I think it’s a done deal…the Lord steps in and says “Child, we have more to work on”…more weeds to pull.
Just like my raised garden, I think the soil is cleared of weeds but there is a root somewhere I missed, and it starts growing. I wonder if I will ever be totally clear of problem roots. I suppose it will never happen this side of heaven because only Jesus was/is totally weed free.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 NIV