Remove & Replace

During the summer months it seems that every thing in the yard is green and growing. And sometimes it’s hard to know what’s grass and what’s weeds.

Sure you can mow it all down to the same height and let everything sort of blend in. But eventually, as they both grow, the weeds look different.

So, what’s the big deal? If everything is green, then it just looks like a varigated yard of multiple types of grass. But that’s not true!

Weeds are thieves. They steal nutrients from the soil. Their broad leaves steal sunlight from the slender blades of grass. Their roots choke out the roots of grass. Weeds are deadly. You may not notice quickly. But over time, they overtake a fine pallet of greenery in your yard.

So what do I do? Well, as I walk through the yard and make my way to the flower garden I pull those weeds up by the root and toss them into the grass to be trampled under the mower later.

I spray weeds with chemical spray to kill those nutrient suckers that are sneaking their way into the prime real estate of a freshly trimmed lawn and manicured landscape.

But you know what happens? Oftentimes the empty void of where those weeds used to be doesn’t get filled with the seeds or flowers that were meant to take its place. So the weeds spring up again. And again. And again.

It’s not enough just to remove the unwanted weeds. That space must be replaced with something to wrap its roots in that soil. It needs some grass. Or a beautiful flower.

How often is this true in our own lives? We identify the weeds that are stealing the nutrients and light that are meant to sustain growth in our lives, and we just pull them up expecting the removal process to be the cure for all that ails us.

But over time the seeds of despair and brokenness are sown again in the vacant holes of our heart because we never filled them with the sustenance of truth, grace, hope, and peace.

We must learn to remove and replace. Remove those things that lead to our demise. Better yet, ask God to intervene in our lives and do what only He can do. The shovel that He uses to dig into the darkness of our souls can have an effect of permanence.

The seed spreader that He uses will be deeply impacted into the depths of our souls so that those seeds can quickly take root, and with proper cultivation we can begin to see the effects of true spiritual growth.

When we read the Gospel accounts and the parables that Jesus shared we see the permeating effects of the Spirit of God and how the illumination of His Word can change our lives. He paints a picture for His audience to see how the truth will set them free.

He made statements like, “I am the Good Shepherd,” “I am the door,” “I am the bread of life,” “I am the vine and you are the branches,” “I am the light of the world.” And these statements attracted His hearers to lean in and listen. And many were compelled to follow Him. And they began doing what He said. They removed some old tendencies and replaced them with the ever-loving truth of Christ’s words.

So, here we are. Observing a field full of personal landscaping needs. What weeds need to be pulled? What flowers need to be watered? What seeds need to be planted? What void needs to be filled? The Word of truth needs to be planted deep within our soul to sustain a life full of spiritual growth.

Trust the Master gardener to do what only He can do; remove and replace!