Saturday, October 19, 2013

An 'orrible Infestation

Good Saturday to you! God's blessing and protection to you on this fine October weekend. Some folks are storing pumpkins outside in the freezing temperatures, but mine are all inside; who is correct? That should begin a flurry of pumpkin mail. As I walked by Mike's garden this morning, I noticed an 'orrible infestation of asparagus. I would volunteer to help with his embarrassing problem, but some folks don't like their faults pointed out like that. What about you and me? Do we like someone to point out faults for us?

A good friend can point out faults away from the public eye and in a gentle manner. We may feel a slight rising of the old defensiveness, but not like we do if someone blurts it out over an Internet forum or mocks us in front of that attractive young lady or gentleman. What happens when God's word points to an 'orrible infestation in the life of one of His own? Yup, probably our first instinctive reaction is to immediately disagree.

That 'orrible infestation of sin in our natural life defends itself with the viciousness of a cornered beast. That is a pretty good description of our carnal nature after Jesus enters our life, a cornered beast fighting for its existence. We know that one day that cornered beast will be removed for all time, but for now it fights with cunning, zeal, and as one with nothing else to lose. I don't like it; you don't like it, but that crafty beast does win a round every now and then. (Sometimes it seems like it wins all the time.) We need that 'orrible infestation cut out of us, but like Mike's asparagus it is rooted deep in the soil of our living garden.

Praise God that we are given to the Master Gardener and He will not let us go.
Bucky

No comments: