Weed Pulling

At age 15 our family made its final move back into California. It was my mom's home state and my favorite state, or at least a close second. None of this probably matters to anybody, save a couple family members. Yet before I bore you... uh...I wanted to make a point? Sorry...uh, I just nearly forgot what it was! Sadly, it's really true. So just wrote it in as a writing effect (of course!). Well, seriously though, all of this had to do with my first job back in our great sunny state.

Way back then, our family lived in a neighborhood full of brand new duplexes. Areas like those have a high turnover rate. Meaning families are always coming and going. Being too young to get a real job, I took whatever I could get. Yep, I finally got one and that job was tough.

It was weed pulling! The backyards of all the duplexes were just small plots of river rocks, with no weed cloth. So, by hand I would work hours pulling weeds in the summer sun. After moving from Maine, it was hard getting re-acquainted with hot weather. But, what does any of this have to do with anything?

Well, it has to do with our spiritual life? You see, small weeds are easy to pull and their roots are shallow, yet the big ones on baked ground put up a fight! Stamping out small sins are easy,  with and by the blood of Jesus. Pulling out besetting sins are hard, yet still possible by the blood of Jesus!

Sometimes we pull and fight and bear all we can. We forget Jesus has bigger hands. Remember even Jesus own disciples, who had authority over demons (because Jesus gave it to them) could not rid demons out of some.

"A man in the crowd answered. "Teacher," he said, "I brought you my son. He is controlled by a spirit. Because of this, my son can't speak anymore. When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn't do it."

Mark 9:17-18 NIRV

None of this is to say Christians can be demon possessed—for they cannot! The Holy Spirit of God is not going to share space with a demon in the temple of God--
YOU ARE THAT TEMPLE! Sorry for yelling. Look at this:

"Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy and you are that temple." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NCV

 This is to let us know that disciples need Jesus' help! We need Jesus help in removing a big fat Goliath sized sin. We need Jesus help also with what we think are the smallest of sins. For that which we consider small is just as large in the eyes of the LORD. They all killed His Son! Perhaps because are hearts are so hard we miss the small stuff; all the while the weeds grow like they are on Miracle Grow, and we find ourselves back on our knees praying and pulling weeds again.