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"Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?" He replied, "An enemy did this" (Matthew 13:27b, 28a).
We have really had the hot weather here in Lancaster County and it's been rather dry as well. Nevertheless I am able to report that the weeds are growing extremely well in our garden and in various landscaped portions of our yard. We have a couple of small garden plots in our back yard where we have planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, corn, lima beans and many herbs. Popping up through the soil all around the intended plants are scores of weeds that appear to be thriving.
Our daily verse has often intrigued me. Jesus is telling a series of "Kingdom" parables in Matthew 13, the most familiar of which is the Parable of the Sower. The statement found in the daily verse is from the second parable which begins in verse 24. This parable speaks of a landowner who sowed good seed in his field, but while he slept his enemy came in and sowed weeds. Later when the weeds appeared beside the intended crop his servants, knowing that he had sown good seed, asked him what most gardeners often ask themselves, "Where then did the weeds come from?"
Isn't that also the very question we often have in our own lives and in the work of God? The answer in the parable as stated by the landowner expresses a vital truth: "An enemy did this." Later, in explaining the parable Christ plainly says, "The enemy that sowed them is the devil" (v. 39). Indeed, this enemy continues his dastardly work individually and all throughout the world. Martin Luther wrote, "But still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe."
We must follow some good advice I recall my parents saying every summer after planting our garden, "You've got to keep up with the weeds!" Whether we get down on our knees and uproot them one at a time, use a hoe or cultivator, or spray for them which we saw last night on our walk as we passed our Amish neighbor's farm.
Now let me make it clear; I don't attribute the weeds in our little vegetable garden to a literal enemy, but they're sure a reminder of the truth of this parable. Today, may God help each of us as we continue to overcome the work of our archenemy in keeping up with the weeds and let us also remember, "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, the pesty weeds in the garden are pervasive, persistent, and problematic to the gardener until pulled out by the root. Weeds are like sin in our lives and in order for us to be productive and thriving in our Christian walk we must uproot the growing sins that seek to choke out the Word of God in our lives. Alert us to the weeds in their infancy stage lest they overtake the precious implanted truths of Your Holy Scripture and we begin to live for the worthless weed instead of the precious Bread of Life. Keep us diligent, zealous, and hopeful as we nurture our daily lives with the spiritual tools of forgiveness, patience, forbearance, enduring love and so many other productive attitudes as written in the Scriptures. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
PS: A special note to those discouraged by the persistent and never ending weeds. Don't let your discouragement paralyze you. If some weeds have gotten out of hand call out to God for help, become diligent in the Word and get some support from other believers and begin to weed. A wonderful Bible promise I have committed to memory speaks to this: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
Brooksyne grows a lot of basil each year since we enjoy it in our salads and she makes a lot of basil pesto as well. In our photos today you can easily see the row of basil where she has already weeded and mulched and contrast it with the section overgrown with weeds.
The interior of the Old Village Hardware
"Psalm 1" Video
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Flowers along wall of Old Village Hardware, Bird In Hand, PA
Listen to this message on
your
audio player.
Listen to this message on
your
audio player."Keeping Up With The Weeds"
"Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?" He replied, "An enemy did this" (Matthew 13:27b, 28a).
We have really had the hot weather here in Lancaster County and it's been rather dry as well. Nevertheless I am able to report that the weeds are growing extremely well in our garden and in various landscaped portions of our yard. We have a couple of small garden plots in our back yard where we have planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, corn, lima beans and many herbs. Popping up through the soil all around the intended plants are scores of weeds that appear to be thriving.
Our daily verse has often intrigued me. Jesus is telling a series of "Kingdom" parables in Matthew 13, the most familiar of which is the Parable of the Sower. The statement found in the daily verse is from the second parable which begins in verse 24. This parable speaks of a landowner who sowed good seed in his field, but while he slept his enemy came in and sowed weeds. Later when the weeds appeared beside the intended crop his servants, knowing that he had sown good seed, asked him what most gardeners often ask themselves, "Where then did the weeds come from?"
Isn't that also the very question we often have in our own lives and in the work of God? The answer in the parable as stated by the landowner expresses a vital truth: "An enemy did this." Later, in explaining the parable Christ plainly says, "The enemy that sowed them is the devil" (v. 39). Indeed, this enemy continues his dastardly work individually and all throughout the world. Martin Luther wrote, "But still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe."
We must follow some good advice I recall my parents saying every summer after planting our garden, "You've got to keep up with the weeds!" Whether we get down on our knees and uproot them one at a time, use a hoe or cultivator, or spray for them which we saw last night on our walk as we passed our Amish neighbor's farm.
Now let me make it clear; I don't attribute the weeds in our little vegetable garden to a literal enemy, but they're sure a reminder of the truth of this parable. Today, may God help each of us as we continue to overcome the work of our archenemy in keeping up with the weeds and let us also remember, "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, the pesty weeds in the garden are pervasive, persistent, and problematic to the gardener until pulled out by the root. Weeds are like sin in our lives and in order for us to be productive and thriving in our Christian walk we must uproot the growing sins that seek to choke out the Word of God in our lives. Alert us to the weeds in their infancy stage lest they overtake the precious implanted truths of Your Holy Scripture and we begin to live for the worthless weed instead of the precious Bread of Life. Keep us diligent, zealous, and hopeful as we nurture our daily lives with the spiritual tools of forgiveness, patience, forbearance, enduring love and so many other productive attitudes as written in the Scriptures. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
PS: A special note to those discouraged by the persistent and never ending weeds. Don't let your discouragement paralyze you. If some weeds have gotten out of hand call out to God for help, become diligent in the Word and get some support from other believers and begin to weed. A wonderful Bible promise I have committed to memory speaks to this: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
Brooksyne grows a lot of basil each year since we enjoy it in our salads and she makes a lot of basil pesto as well. In our photos today you can easily see the row of basil where she has already weeded and mulched and contrast it with the section overgrown with weeds.
Basil plants without weeding and mulching
(as if we really needed to point it out).
(as if we really needed to point it out).
Basil plants after weeding and mulch.
We pass this store often but decided to stop and take a look.
The interior of the Old Village Hardware
We,
along with many others, sure enjoy it when the first locally grown
sweet corn is ready each season! These stands (in this case a small
wagon) are all over the place.
Today's
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"Psalm 1" Video
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references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version.
© 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD
BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation,
New King James
Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the
King
James Version.
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I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord.
My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and
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Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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