The Minnesota ground is frozen at least two feet below the surface, so it’s a safe time to talk about my vegetable garden.

Last summer I planted my veggies and then got busy with other things.  We can all imagine how little weeds soon poked out of the ground.  Within a few weeks, they grew bigger than my vegetables, and eventually stole every speck of sunlight and sucked up every drop of water until the life that was once my growing vegetable finally and irrevocably died.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention Jesus’ famous parable about the good seeds that grew in weedy soil.  Of course, these weeds never jumped on the good seed out of no-where to demand a fight.  They’ll never challenged the good seed and said, “I’m bad and I’m going to steal light from you, kill you and destroy you.”

Instead, weeds are sneaky and quiet.  They grow up right alongside us and we slowly let them into our lives – unsuspecting that they want to devour us.

These weeds have many names.  Some examples might be:  A schedule that is too busy for prayer.  TV that is violent, vulgar or promotes sexual themes.  Alcohol, pornography or video games can slowly consume us and ultimately control our lives.

In our go-go modern culture, it seems that weeds are our biggest impediment to having our spiritual gardens grow into a great harvest.

The solution is easy!  Like a real garden, taking care of weeds is best managed with a day to day plan.  We’ll get a bountiful harvest of love, joy, peace, patience and all the fruit of the Spirit when we spend time – all alone with God – every single day.

There is nothing more delightful.  Like a good seed growing in the sunlight, there is nothing better than to soak in the light and goodness of God.

Let’s pray, “Dear Jesus, I give myself to you today.  Help me to make a day by day plan to see you.  I don’t want weeds in my life – I want you.  I want you.  Yes Lord, I want you.”