Pulling Weeds...

Prov 27:23-24 "Know well the condition of your flocks,  and pay attention to your herds, for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure for all generations." Today I am going to pull weeds.  Not my favorite thing to do,  but necessary.  It's the price you pay for having a garden.  With the beautiful flowers come the pesky weeds.  Hopefully, at the end of the day I'll be able to look with satisfaction at a freshly tilled garden, free of unwanted growth , spent flowers, and dead leaves.  Then the process will start all over again. Whether you're a herdsman with sheep, a farmer with fields, a homeowner with a house, a commuter with a car, a husband/wife with a marriage, a parent with a child, a friend with a relationship.... everything requires maintenance.  It's a law of the the universe.  Everything winds down, deteriorates.  If it is to endure, it must be cared for, looked after, maintained. This principle applies also to our spiritual walk, our relationship with God.  The Psalmist admonishes us to "Above all, guard your heart, for it flows the issues of life."    How do we do this?  Just like caring for a garden.  It requires regular attention... feeding, watering, weeding.  I need to consistently be fed by the Word of God, watered by prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit, and I need to daily weed out the sin and bad habits through repentance and confession.   Lord, I confess that maintenance is not easy for me, but I know it is essential.  Please help me to develop this discipline in every aspect of my life.  I'll start today by pulling weeds. :-)   Amen.