Sage Thoughts #89 Pepsi Cola and Mill School Pool
50Do you occasionally argue with your weeds as you tangle with them, or is it just me? With Christmas vacation upon us, I’ve been able to spend blissful hours in the north forty, gaining back precious ground that is usually allowed to grow wild. After a good rain most of the weeds come willingly. When I’m dealing with those obstinate weeds, I like to use the good-cop-bad-cop routine.
“Now, this won’t hurt a bit. Just give me all of that root please. I’m asking nicely, but I’ve got Mr. Pick-Axe over there and he won’t be so gentle.”
It’s not like I don’t know that those weeds are taking over. I just never seem to make the time to work on the area between the backyard fence and the tree line. The front yard is always well taken care of because I know that people driving by can see. It’s the areas that are hidden that get the least attention.
When Matt, Johnny and I took on that yard job on Bounds Road, nearly fifty years ago, we knew we were in over our heads. Some of the weeds and ivy were actually over our heads! Each summer we would go from house to house, looking for yard work to have some spending money. (It’s a wonder that I haven’t explained this concept to my boys) We would usually get a dollar, or two if it was a big job. Once a lady on Larkspur Drive tried to pay me in cookies. I remember telling her, “Mam, Cookies can’t buy a 16 ounce Pepsi Cola, and it sure won’t get me in to the pool at Mill School.”
Matt, Johnny and I were getting twenty dollars to split, an unheard of sum of money! We started right away, hacking that ivy with all our might. The first morning all we could talk about was what we were going to spend our fortune on. My goal was the “Man From Uncle” sixth finger pistol with signaling device. It was my favorite television show, and everyone wanted to be a spy like Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin. Both Christmas and birthday had passed, and still no sixth finger. It was time to rectify this injustice.
When we stopped for lunch, it didn’t look like we had done a thing. The massive ivy was still just as massive. We had only wounded a small patch. After lunch,Matt never returned. Johnny stuck it out until the end of the day, but that was it for him. I went back alone the following morning, but after the second day, I knew I couldn’t do it by myself. I left with thirty garbage bags filled, a gaping whole in their yard, and no “Man From Uncle” sixth finger pistol with signaling device.
Sin is a lot like overgrown weeds. Most of us keep the front yard tidy. On the surface we seem like we’ve got it together. It’s those hidden areas that need attention. Prayer time is like the rain, softening the grip of sin’s root system. Have you ever tried to stop a certain sin on your own? I knew that without help, I would never finish that yard job. Without our Heavenly Father’s help we are doomed to fail. Prayer loosens the soil so that if we choose, those hidden sins can be removed. Does it matter if we fool others into thinking we are right with God, keeping our spiritual front yards clean, while sin is strangling us? No, because nothing is hidden from God.
Hebrews 4:12-13 “ For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
The Bible is like Mr. Pick-Axe. God’s Word is living and active. Christian, are in you God’s Word? If you are not, you are starving your spirit. I have a great way to strengthen your spirital walk. If you are not in a Bible reading plan right now, how about spending the next forty days reading a few passages of the Bible each day. I am leading a forty day overview of the Bible and would love you to come along. We start tomorrow, January 1st. The schedule is below. What have you got to lose? Join in, and let’s start the new Year with God’s Holy Word as our guide.
40-Day Survey of the Bible
Day 1 Genesis 1-2 The Creation Account
Day 2 Genesis 3 The Beginning of Sin
Day 3 Genesis 15; 17:15-27 God’s Covenant with Abraham
Day 4 Genesis 21:1-7; 22 God’s Faithfulness and Abraham’s Faith
Day 5 Exodus 3-4 God calls Moses to Deliver His People
Day 6 Exodus 20 The Ten Commandments
Day 7 Joshua 1 Conquering the Promised Land
Day 8 1 Samuel 16-17 David and Goliath
Day 9 1 Kings 3; 8:1-9:9 King Solomon’s Wisdom and the Temple
Day 10 1 Kings 18 The Prophet Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
Day 11 2 Kings 25 The Siege of Jerusalem and Exile of Judah
Day 12 Daniel 2-3 Daniel in Babylon; The Fiery Furnace
Day 13 Ezra 3 Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem
Day 14 Isaiah 9, 53, 61 Isaiah’s Prophecy of the Coming Messiah
Day 15 Luke 1-2 The Birth of Jesus
Day 16 John 1:1-18 Who Jesus Is
Day 17 Luke 4:14-44 Jesus Begins His Ministry
Day 18 Matthew 5-6 The Core of Jesus’ Teaching (The Sermon on the Mount)
Day 19 John 3 God’s Love for the World
Day 20 John 5 Jesus’ Miracles and Authority
Day 21 John 11 Jesus’ Power Over Death
Day 22 John 15 The Christian Life Defined
Day 23 John 17 Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer
Day 24 Matthew 26-27 The Arrest and Crucifixion of Jesus
Day 25 John 20 The Resurrection of Jesus
Day 26 Luke 24 The Ascension of Jesus
Day 27 Acts 2 The Coming of The Holy Spirit
Day 28 Acts 9 The Conversion of Saul
Day 29 Acts 16 The Gospel Spreads to Europe
Day 30 Acts 26 Paul’s Defense of the Christian Faith
Day 31 Romans 3 Justification By Faith Alone
Day 32 Romans 7-8 The Battle With Sin; Life in The Spirit
Day 33 1 Corinthians 13 The Way of Love
Day 34 1 Corinthians 15 The Power of The Resurrection
Day 35 Galatians 5 Freedom in Christ
Day 36 Ephesians 6 The Whole Armor of God
Day 37 Philippians 1:18-2:18 Christ’s Example
Day 38 Colossians 3:1-17 Putting on The New Self
Day 39 James 1 Pure Religion
Day 40 Revelation 21-22 The New Heaven and Earth
