Worth Revisiting: Getting Down to Earth

What is it about having hands in the warm earth that speaks so sincerely to my soul? For as long as I can remember, I have cherished this invitation to connect with the Creator and his creation. To till the soil, plant, and cultivate from its humble beginnings to harvest, that is the essence of a season in time.   Watching the grass grow, enamored by the sudden appearance of each bud, blossom and fruit I wonder the delight that God must have too in each of these small miracles. Yet not only an observer, we are participators and co-creators in caring for this life that has been entrusted to us.  What a blessed and wondrous responsibility!

Fond memories, carried in the pretty straw baskets overflowing with strawberries, tomatoes, and tall stalks of rhubarb, are childhood treasures. With dirt covered knees and hands leaning over rows of neatly sowed seeds, I would take great care to follow Grandma’s instructions.

 “Pull the weeds, as they seek to steal the nutrients from the plants. But be careful- those that have grown too close to the roots can cause great damage if pulled without caution.”

I am reminded of her words of wisdom each time in hearing the parable of the sower. What of those weeds in our own life, those things that we too have allowed close, which consume our every thought, time and energy? Can we even readily identify them as weeds? They are innocuous looking enough at first, blending in with the other sprouts in our lives. Until that is they can no longer be overlooked, and we struggle for a way to remove the weed without further damage to our own lives.

Yet, is the tender plant without help, left alone without the loving care of its steward? No, not at all. Though our troubles, fears and passions might seek to entrap and tear us down, they are no match for the strength that is offered through prayer. Helping to loosen the grip of what we have become entangled with, conversation with our Father nourishes us from the inside. It is then that the opinions of others, the lifestyles we have become accustomed to and the attractiveness of our sinful companion begins to matter less and less. Like a humble obliging earthworm, aerating the soil of our lives, our time spent with God creates much needed space in the compacted hardened ground around us.  We find the air to breathe again, and companionship with our true friend in Christ.

As I kneel, looking up towards the sky with eyes closed I cannot help but pause to offer up my modest and imperfect praise for the one who created it all. He who knows the weeds in our hearts, that we have allowed to grow, loves us nonetheless. More than our faults, our potential lies in wait for our response to God’s love. The question lies in just what our response to God will be.

Do you have a problem or a passion that is controlling your life today? Take a moment or two or three to talk to God..you might just find the fresh air you need in your life to let go of the weed.

Peace,