PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 13:24-30
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Let both grow together until the harvest.” (Matthew 13:30)
The kingdom of God (heaven) is this world as originally created by God.
We know the story from Genesis 1-3 how the Enemy planted seeds of selfishness.
But God does not give up on us, He doesn’t kill both wheat and weeds to start over.
God waits for the harvest to separate good from evil, for goodness sake.
This is a weed-infested world because God gives us a chance to show our hearts.
Will we pursue the wheat of goodness, or surrender to the weed of selfishness.
We cannot defeat the Enemy or remove the weeds – Jesus came to do that for us.
But with God’s help, we can refuse to give in to the Enemy and the weeds.
We can devote ourselves, with the Spirit’s help, to producing good fruit.
Life is hard in this weed-infested world, but it can’t stop us from aiming to do good.
Our challenge, and the invitation of Jesus, is to overcome evil with good.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21)
Everyday we face this choice: be overcome by evil, or overcome evil with good?
Jesus beat Satan by His goodness, He will help us overcome the weeds as well!
PRAYER
Lord, help me to refuse the weeds in my life, and be the kind of wheat You created and saved me to be!
I’m reminded that does not risk his good fruit to be pulled up when clearing weeds. So often we are tempted from our path by others who don’t share our values, but seem to get so far ahead! Lord, help me remember that you have chosen to not risk my growth based on the growth of the weeds, and it is not for me to stunt my growth by holding the yardstick to the weeds around me. Thank you for not allowing me to be collateral damage.
Only in the Garden of Eden was life a type of utopia – but then contaminated with evil poison – our daily living is spoiled. God did not take the evil away – but promised a messiah – and reached out to us in ways so that we might be able to live here in the messiness and consequences of evil – even as it tempts me everyday. HS continue to ‘prick’ and urge me on – to not let the thorns and ‘weeds’ choke me!
God allows weeds to grow alongside the good seed. At the harvest the weeds will be gathered and burned while the good seed will be gathered and stored for later use. Lord Jesus, may the good seed grow well in me and may the weeds be kept at bay.
There are two kingdoms – that of Life and that of death. One seeks to bring life and the other destruction of that life. The life must produce good fruit among the destructive forces of Satan but one day all those who bore good fruit will be gathered in to the Father. Help me daily Lord to live for You. May I be like the tree planted by the riverside rooted and strong in Your Word serving You always.
I’m gonna be like a tree, planted by the water
Trusting in the Father to keep me strong
I’m gonna be like a tree, planted by the water
Trusting in the name of the Lord
The deeper the roots grow
The better the fruits grow
The blessings bloom out for all to see
The deeper the roots grow
The more of my life shows
That Jesus is the Lord of me, Lord of me