Today I went to some friends' house to help them clean up their yard, raking leaves, clearing walkways, moving mulch and firewood piles. A good work day.
They have a very nice property, bluebonnets (when they come up) fill the front yard, a pool and patio one one side, a chicken coop on the other, and most prominently, a shady back yard with large oaks and a veranda and walkways. As I was working there, a word came to mind: Potential. Yes, this was a yard with great potential, carefully tended to, it could become a place of life, and beauty, and music (pardon the LOTR reference!), a paradise. However, left alone, it would inevitably become an eyesore, overflowing with fallen, decomposing leaves.
This yard is like our human hearts, without the tender, affectionate and constant care of the gardener, our hearts our filled with junk, clutter, and sin. However, when Christ is constantly there, through the word, our hearts can become filled, beautiful, clean, holy. Then, it begins to overflow, our lives affect those of others, strengthening them through the word, and in Christ. We must clean our hearts, taking out the junk, and bringing it to Christ, for his will for our life is our sanctification. Mortifying sin, growing to be like Christ, these are integral parts of the Christian life, and they only happen through constant time in the word and prayer.
So, how's your garden doing?
