Soul Weeds

-

I was recently chatting with a friend, bemoaning the fact that the people who are paid to take care of the lawns on our street are notorious for ignoring the weeds. These guys are quite enthusiastic with their noisy leaf blowers each week. But either they are in such a hurry to finish their work for the day that they truly don’t spot these undesirable plants, or they do see the unwanted interlopers and pretend not to notice so that they do not have to deal with them. Regardless, they are not doing a good job!  

I am so thankful that the Master Gardener, the LORD, is diligent in caring for me. He tenderly yet firmly yanks every trespasser, every threat, every intrusion in my life that does not line up for His plan for His harvest of righteousness in my life. Unlike the lawn guys who breeze through hastily once a week, the Vinedresser watches over me day and night. He is passionate about tending to his own!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PRAY AND KEEP GOING

-
Image
I was delighted and honored to be asked to play the flute for my dear friend Margaret’s wedding to her wonderful new husband, John. The plan was for me to perform a selection of songs starting about ten minutes before the ceremony and continuing through the time when our pastor, the groom, and the groom’s family made their entrance. The day was lovely with a few puffy clouds and moderate temperatures. However, I was a bit concerned with the reasonably strong breeze as the whole event was to take place outside. Knowing from past experiences that my sheet music would be prone to blow away or at the very least flip to the next page before I was finished with the current one, I put each page in a plastic sleeve in a notebook, and at the last minute I also asked a friend to hold and turn the pages for me if it became evident that it was a problem. I even clipped the first page to the stand. Also, since the flute tone is made by blowing across the mouthpiece (like blowing across a glass ...
Read more

I TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

-
Image
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,  but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.   Psalm 20:7 I was recently in a conversation with a godly man, a friend I highly respect. He also happens to be a retired homicide detective. We were discussing the use of firearms for self-protection. That conversation WAS NOT, and this post IS NOT, about the right to carry firearms, one of the hot political topics of our times. For the record, I do strongly support the right of citizens to carry arms, and God bless those of you who do, especially with the intent of protecting loved ones or other innocents, but I just as strongly believe that many of us should not own guns. My friend gave the following wise criteria for self-determination about having a firearm for protection, and I thought it was worth sharing:   1. Are you physically capable to become proficient with a firearm? (And you should be proficient and knowledgeable in using one.) 2. Are you mentally prepared to resp...
Read more

PRIORITIES

-
Image
  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) This verse is familiar to most of us. Familiarity with God’s Word is good; trusting it enough to act on it and live it is better. Just this week I had the joy and encouragement of watching two dear friends walk by faith. One friend had a sudden and catastrophic shift in her world; her husband went into a coma after a routine surgery. By God’s grace he is still alive and improving. What was so inspiring to me, and I know to many others in our local congregation, is that when this man’s very life was still hanging in the balance, both his wife and daughter came to church. They knew that was the best place for them: worshipping God and hearing His lifegiving Word with fellow believers. My other friend was getting married at noon. There was some discussion in our little morning women’s prayer group on whether she would be joining us that day, given the momentous occ...
Read more