Every night before bed, I read a Biblical chapter. I've been reading the book of Matthew and last night I read chapter 13 which is full of parables told by Jesus. Not only have I read these parables before, but I've heard countless sermons on these passages. I know you, too, will be familiar with them.
As I was reading the parable on the wheat and tares, I saw something that I've never seen before. One reason I enjoy reading the Bible is no matter how many times I read it, I often see something I've never seen before. It's like rereading a book or watching a movie I've seen previously and then seeing a part I somehow missed the first, second or even a third time. The parable on the wheat and the tares came alive to me last night. Walk with me through this oh so familiar tale of the wheat and the weeds.
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a man who planted good seed in his field. The Teacher explains that while everyone was sleeping, the enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and crept away unseen. No one realized what had happened until harvest time. When the wheat sprang forth, the weeds grew right along side what should have been a most beautiful crop. So, while good seed was growing as it should, there was also "bad" seed creeping up undetected...for a while, at least.
I liken this to our faith walk. So many times, we as Christians believe we are "doing all the right things." We are walking in faith and love, we are paying our tithes, attending every church service, praying and fasting. We feel good about ourselves, feel like we are in good standing, and to our dismay, sin rears its ugly head. Weeds are exposed towering above our wheat. We throw our hands up thinking, Will I ever overcome this? or I had no idea that was in my heart! What's the point in trying? In some cases, we may even be tempted to indulge ourselves thinking, I'm doing all this good, who will ever know what's happening behind closed doors?
Then, comes harvest time. You see, when we start feeling "proud" of ourselves, we become complacent. We begin to experience that slow fade. Maybe we stop reading every night, or we become lax with our prayer time. The complacency becomes stagnation. The prayer warriors begin taking off their armor piece by piece...we fall asleep. In the parable, when everyone stopped planting good seeds, they rested. Once we let our guard down, the enemy can creep in undetected and spoil our crop. Sounds a little disheartening I know, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for us! Let's see how the parable ends.
When the weeds were discovered, the Master did not allow the servants to pull the weeds until the wheat was full grown for fear the wheat would also be plucked up. He said, "let them both grow together until the harvest." He further stated the harvesters would first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned. So we learn that even though the bad harvest has to come up, we can easily spot those weeds now because they are not hiding under the surface any longer. The tares are no longer camouflaged by our "good works." Our weaknesses can be identified and as the end of the parable tells us, the weeds will be plucked, bundled up, and thrown in the fire--the Refiner's fire.
This brought such comfort to me because I do my very best to live as God intended. I want His perfect will and plan for my life. I've prayed many times to be a conduit of His glory, His love, His peace, His grace. In order to be a free-flowing fountain, all the gunk has to come out so the water can flow free, clear, pure. The plucking out, the purging process can be grueling, but on the other side of it, we are free to move when He says move and in turn we become the disciples He has called us to be. True ambassadors of Christ. Not only does our merciful Father correct us, but He does so when we are mature enough to survive the process. He lets our wheat grow strong so that it is not easily plucked up with the weeds. He gives us time to grow strong roots! What wisdom and loving kindness! In Isaiah 55:8, 9 God explains, "as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Truly, what can be more rewarding than that? The kingdom of Heaven here on earth realized in us...in our very being! Romans 8:28 tells us, "All things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose." Oh, how He loves us!
Psalm 51:9,10 "Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
As I was reading the parable on the wheat and tares, I saw something that I've never seen before. One reason I enjoy reading the Bible is no matter how many times I read it, I often see something I've never seen before. It's like rereading a book or watching a movie I've seen previously and then seeing a part I somehow missed the first, second or even a third time. The parable on the wheat and the tares came alive to me last night. Walk with me through this oh so familiar tale of the wheat and the weeds.
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a man who planted good seed in his field. The Teacher explains that while everyone was sleeping, the enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and crept away unseen. No one realized what had happened until harvest time. When the wheat sprang forth, the weeds grew right along side what should have been a most beautiful crop. So, while good seed was growing as it should, there was also "bad" seed creeping up undetected...for a while, at least.
I liken this to our faith walk. So many times, we as Christians believe we are "doing all the right things." We are walking in faith and love, we are paying our tithes, attending every church service, praying and fasting. We feel good about ourselves, feel like we are in good standing, and to our dismay, sin rears its ugly head. Weeds are exposed towering above our wheat. We throw our hands up thinking, Will I ever overcome this? or I had no idea that was in my heart! What's the point in trying? In some cases, we may even be tempted to indulge ourselves thinking, I'm doing all this good, who will ever know what's happening behind closed doors?
Then, comes harvest time. You see, when we start feeling "proud" of ourselves, we become complacent. We begin to experience that slow fade. Maybe we stop reading every night, or we become lax with our prayer time. The complacency becomes stagnation. The prayer warriors begin taking off their armor piece by piece...we fall asleep. In the parable, when everyone stopped planting good seeds, they rested. Once we let our guard down, the enemy can creep in undetected and spoil our crop. Sounds a little disheartening I know, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for us! Let's see how the parable ends.
When the weeds were discovered, the Master did not allow the servants to pull the weeds until the wheat was full grown for fear the wheat would also be plucked up. He said, "let them both grow together until the harvest." He further stated the harvesters would first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned. So we learn that even though the bad harvest has to come up, we can easily spot those weeds now because they are not hiding under the surface any longer. The tares are no longer camouflaged by our "good works." Our weaknesses can be identified and as the end of the parable tells us, the weeds will be plucked, bundled up, and thrown in the fire--the Refiner's fire.
This brought such comfort to me because I do my very best to live as God intended. I want His perfect will and plan for my life. I've prayed many times to be a conduit of His glory, His love, His peace, His grace. In order to be a free-flowing fountain, all the gunk has to come out so the water can flow free, clear, pure. The plucking out, the purging process can be grueling, but on the other side of it, we are free to move when He says move and in turn we become the disciples He has called us to be. True ambassadors of Christ. Not only does our merciful Father correct us, but He does so when we are mature enough to survive the process. He lets our wheat grow strong so that it is not easily plucked up with the weeds. He gives us time to grow strong roots! What wisdom and loving kindness! In Isaiah 55:8, 9 God explains, "as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Truly, what can be more rewarding than that? The kingdom of Heaven here on earth realized in us...in our very being! Romans 8:28 tells us, "All things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose." Oh, how He loves us!
Psalm 51:9,10 "Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
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