I was walking along a path in the mountains when I came across a small bush being strangled by a snake-like weed. It made me think of the parable of the sower that Jesus told – “Now the seed that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity”(Luke 8:14). It’s so easy for the cares, riches, and pleasures of life to choke us. These things slowly strangle our spiritual growth, so we can’t develop God’s fruits of love, joy, peace, and patience. And, eventually, these “weeds” will kill us. However, the challenge, I realised while removing the weed, is that the plant has no power to remove the weed itself. So too, with the sins that choke us of God’s life-giving Spirit. We need God to remove them gently. Only he has the power to remove sin before it kills us. We ask him to do this in the Lord’s Prayer; “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Surrender your heart to God so He can deliver you from all the cares and temptations choking your life and fill you with His life-giving Spirit. And once freed of these choking weeds, you can grow and experience the incredible joy of God’s fruit in your life. Open Bible – http://bit.ly/mat6v13, http://bit.ly/luk8v14
