Turning three acres of farmland into a thing of landscaped beauty is fast becoming one of the more difficult endeavors of my life. Henbit, lamb’s quarter, velvet leaf, pig weed, thistles, dandelions, purslane, knotweed-You name it, I’ve got it. Grass, trees, shrubs, flowers-I’m still working on them. Little did I know that I was not drawing up a landscape plan just over two years ago. I was drawing battle plans.
I have since learned a great deal about the enemy, fighting strategies, and the weapons specific to this particular war. I’ve also learned a few other lessons on the way. I’d like to share some of them with you.
The Enemy
Weeds come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some of them have even befriended our children in an effort to end our zealous attacks against them. By my definition a weed is any plant that is not where it belongs. If the Mexican Primrose spreads too far, it becomes a weed, although I have a difficult time hating it. True weeds, the ones that inspire feelings of animosity, all share several characteristics: they grow rapidly, spread quickly and are difficult to get rid of. The field clover that I battled with yesterday were not there last year and now they are all over the yard and the roots are often two feet deep or more. Yet, the plants that I want to grow wilt at the thought of frost, don’t like wind, have to be watered constantly, and take forever to get big enough to even bloom.
That reminds me of sin. It seems that sin often springs up overnight, needs no encouragement whatsoever, and has a way of spreading just like weeds. It takes no time at all for sin to embed its roots deep in our lives and it is very hard to get rid of once it is there. Yet, all of the good habits and things that I want to cultivate in my life require a great deal of time and effort and die at even the slightest hint of neglect.
How frustrating! I love how the Apostle Paul puts it.” I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” (Romans 7:15-21)
But there are ways for dealing with both weeds and sin!
I have since learned a great deal about the enemy, fighting strategies, and the weapons specific to this particular war. I’ve also learned a few other lessons on the way. I’d like to share some of them with you.
The Enemy
Weeds come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some of them have even befriended our children in an effort to end our zealous attacks against them. By my definition a weed is any plant that is not where it belongs. If the Mexican Primrose spreads too far, it becomes a weed, although I have a difficult time hating it. True weeds, the ones that inspire feelings of animosity, all share several characteristics: they grow rapidly, spread quickly and are difficult to get rid of. The field clover that I battled with yesterday were not there last year and now they are all over the yard and the roots are often two feet deep or more. Yet, the plants that I want to grow wilt at the thought of frost, don’t like wind, have to be watered constantly, and take forever to get big enough to even bloom.
That reminds me of sin. It seems that sin often springs up overnight, needs no encouragement whatsoever, and has a way of spreading just like weeds. It takes no time at all for sin to embed its roots deep in our lives and it is very hard to get rid of once it is there. Yet, all of the good habits and things that I want to cultivate in my life require a great deal of time and effort and die at even the slightest hint of neglect.
How frustrating! I love how the Apostle Paul puts it.” I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” (Romans 7:15-21)
But there are ways for dealing with both weeds and sin!
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