Black Eyed Susans

I recently recalled a memory from way back. The first summer we lived in Denver I was amazed at the Black Eyed Susans that were growing all over the place. We saw them in open spaces and along the side of the road. I loved them, they displayed to me what Colorado was, a beautiful open place full of the glory of God's creation. So, naturally, when it came time to do our backyard I begged Fred to leave some of the Black Eyes Susans that had grown wildly on our property. I thought they would add to the Colorado look of the yard we were planning. He called them weeds, but I argued that they were native plants and that they would look great with the boulders in our yard. So, Fred agreed to leave a small batch in the back corners of the yard. Unfortunately, by the third year we were being overrun by my beloved flowers. They were trying to kill off everything in sight and the reality was they were out of control and they had to be dug up and thrown away. They were weeds! They were unruly and competing with the plants we were trying to cultivate in our gardens. Though they were beautiful they were capable of choking everything good in our yard. I had foolishly thought I could tame them!

The Lord brought that story to my mind recently as I thought about sin in my life. He reminded me that I think I can control it all, just like I thought I could control the weeds. I thought I could contain it to small areas of my heart and not let it get out of hand. He reminded me that I must be aggressive and root sin out, the whole plant including the root, l must work diligent to be rid of sin it will regrow. He reminded me that I am foolish to think a little won't hurt or be hard to contain. But, then I felt discouraged, I felt like I had tried to root it all out, I had tried to suffocate sin and deny it oxygen, but it keeps growing. As I sat there I felt like the Lord came along side me ever so gently are reminded me of the Black Eyed Susans, He reminded me of how we had to work had to dig deep and remove them, but then He reminded me that it was Him who provided our strength to dig and dig and the wisdom to be diligent to keep checking for new growth of the weeds. Yes, it was all of Him, apart from Him we would not have even known the yard was in danger of being a Black Eyes Susan field, it looked pretty to my eyes. We can't do anything a part from Him. And most importantly He reminded me that morning that He takes great delight in helping me and doing it for me. He loves to be my all in all. He is glorified when His power is made known in my weakness. I don't need to do it on my own, He will give me everything I need for life and godliness. He will be faithful to show me areas that need to be changed and then He is faithful to provide for me everything I need to complete the task at hand. Isn't He so good??!!