Roses

Yesterday I spent some time weeding a landscape bed in my front yard.  What I discovered was an enemy unseen and a whispered reminder from God’s Word.

Several rose bushes I had planted produced some beautiful early spring roses. But, hidden under that beauty was one rose bush that had died and next to it a crazy-strong grassy weed.  Maybe that weed had strangled that poor rose bush hidden under the umbrella of all the roses from the surrounding bushes.  So, I dug out the weed and then managed to dig out the dead thorny bush.  Shovels, leather gloves, dirt, thorns, sun, scratches, blood, tugs and sweat  ---- a struggle to fight an enemy, cut out the casualty and protect the hope of future beauty.

A sure example of how sin and neglect of my relationship with God can strangle me and threaten the beauty in my life – my loved ones, our blessings, our joy. Thorns can protect from some enemies but our enemy is crafty.  If he cannot suck the life and beauty from us one way, he will find another, underground perhaps, sending his demons to attack from all sides.  Is this the “slippery slope” that often describes the sin that is so close and can be so devastating?

This moring I was guided down a pathway through morning devotion to this verse.

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”  2 Chronicles 7:13-16

This was God’s promise to Solomon after he built the temple of the Lord.  But now I am His temple, and He wants His name to be on me. This is His promise to me.  He has chosen me but will I do my part? What does He expect of me?  When I am sick, when I am thirsty, in need of sustenance (physical or spiritual), when I feel attacked - STOP. I need to humble myself, pray, SEEK God, and stop sinning.  If I do this, God will hear me (he stopped listening before this?), forgive my sins and heal my situation (my land? – my living situation, my financial means, job, home, physical body).  v15 – When we are humble, praying and not sinning; God will be attentive to our prayers.  God does this for us so that His name will be on us (glorified?), and He will always see, hear and love us. (v16)

This sounds to me like a conditional promise.  I must live a certain way (humbly, praying, seeking God, turning from sin) and then He will listen.  I cannot embrace other Gods (2 Chronicles 7:22).  This isn’t about salvation; He’s already saved me.  This is about whether I will choose to live a life in obedience to Him, recognized and heard by him, or choose to continue in sin and risk a life of suffering.  Will I let the weeds strangle out life’s beauty, my blessings, my joy?

Lord, help me to recognize the sin in my life.  Help me to be humble.  I want your face.  I want you to hear me when I pray.  Help me to pray.  I want your heart. Amen