Weed Control

Every year I spend untold amounts of time, energy and money battling weeds in our lawn. I spread a liquid herbicide and the weeds come back. I apply a granular weed n' feed product and while a few of the weeds die, a new batch comes on strong. I reapply the liquid weed control several weeks later only to discover that several wild grasses and weeds are not only immune but they are thriving.

Fighting weeds is a year round battle in the South. Bermuda grass may go dormant in the winter months, but the weeds don't. They are a tenacious and formidable lawn foe.

Recently while treating the lawn for weeds it occurred to me how much time, energy and cost I invest in the weed battle. What if I invested similar time, energy and resources to fighting sin? Sin is just like a weed. It keeps coming back. You get one area cleared and if you aren't vigilant and careful a new one pops up in an area of your life/lawn that you thought you had under control. The Apostle Paul knew about weeds/sin. He wrote in Romans 8:

⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Need some weed/sin control in your life? Here's some helps:

1. Live in the Spirit; Concentrate on the good grass (righteousness). Grow stronger and stronger in your faith.
   
2. Pursue righteousness by spending time in God's Word (the ultimate weed/sin buster).
   
3. Hang out with people who are pursuing the things of God, they will help you weed out the sin in your life. Mutual accountability in a faith community is a major help in the weed/sin battle.
4. Stay faithful in corporate worship doing in community what we are unable to do alone. By focusing on the glory of God we take the spotlight off ourselves----the ultimate weed/sin choking application.
   
5. Live a confessional life marked by repentance. Don't let the weed/sin run out of control. Address it with God in prayer and ask for His help to change (repent) behavior, actions, attitudes, thoughts and urges that don't glorify Him.

May your lawn/life be healthy, vibrant and productive! And may the weeds be few!