February 24, 2024

February 24th, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
Matthew 13:24-30 (The Wheat & The Weeds)
Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. – Matthew 13:24-25 (NLT)
“Weeds Happen”

My wife has an ongoing war with weeds. She can’t stand them. She actually became so obsessed with pulling them that she had to start limiting herself to how much time she would give to it. She would pull them out of the yard. She would pull them out as they grew up between the bricks in our back patio area. She would pull them out as they grew up among her flowers and bushes on the embankment around our storm shelter. But no matter how many she pulled, or how clear the yard was of them, there was always one thing she could count on. The weeds would be back.
Weeds happen. And not just in our yards and flower beds. They happen in the good things and the work we try to do for God. They are the frustrating irritants that sometimes steal the joy out of what we do. They are the unforeseen and sometimes reoccurring problems that arise. They are the unsuspected challenges that we weren’t anticipating. They are the difficult people who take up our time, sap our energy, and often take our focus off of why we’re doing what we’re doing. Can anyone relate to this? These things are the “weeds” that the Enemy uses to try and thwart what God wants to do through us.
Jesus uses this parable to prepare His disciples and us for what He knows we’re all going to face. Jesus faced problems. He had to deal with challenges. And He certainly had to cope with His share of difficult people. If it was true for HIM, it’ll certainly be true for US.
Challenges. Problems. Difficult people. The Enemy will sow those weeds in and around you the moment you try to cultivate something good for God. Volunteer to teach a class, and watch the weeds pop up. Start up a new ministry, and you’ll see a flood of weeds come pouring in. Surrender yourself to be used by God, and I promise you, you’ll be picking weeds every day just like my lovely wife. The temptation is to believe that maybe you shouldn’t be doing this work. But you’re wrong. Remember, the farmer and his workers didn’t encounter weeds because they were doing something bad. They got weeds because they were doing something GOOD. So, pray for wisdom, pray for patience, and pray for the strength to keep at it. Just don’t let the weeds make you quit. That’s God’s Word for you today.