Digging Up Root Balls

“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow…For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field…” 1 Co 3:7-9

At the end of June Bruce and I tilled up our yard, applied level mix, planted grass seed and fertilizer, and began our watering campaign. It took a few weeks but tiny little green sprouts burst through the soil. I was so excited and watched the ground in great anticipation. At one point, Bruce told me that I didn’t watch our own children as intensely as I have my little baby blades. Over the next couple weeks, I watched the green fill in nicely until I noticed some unruly weeds had joined the effort. I began pulling weeds in all the areas we had planted. Every time I went outside, I ended up with dirt under my nails, muddy flipflops and drenched in sweat and frustration. Week after week we both have been pulling weeds. One morning early before the heat began rising, I was on my knees in the freshly watered soil. I looked at my hands and saw how dirty they were. I immediately thought of God being on His knees in the garden of my heart removing the spiritual root balls that had been a part of my garden. I imagined God carefully separating the weeds from the sprouts intended for growth. God certainly doesn’t care about getting His hands dirty. The very hands who formed us are the very hands who helps us grow into a garden of righteousness.

When God created us, He had the knowledge of how we would think…how we would love…how we would hurt…how we would grow for the joy of His love. He doesn’t leave us alone in this world but allows freedom with our choices and our devotion to Him. We all allow things into our hearts that He will eventually have to pull up. It will be messy and muddy, but it will free up the space in our gardens for beautiful sprouts. I’m so thankful that whatever I plant into my life that will eventually become a weed will be removed by the loving hand of the Father.