Pulled up by the roots

I was gardening again this morning and as usual looking for inspiration. There was the common theme of plants being smothered in weeds, so weighted down in fact that one plant looked as if it was broken. As I started the weeding process I was very conscious it was a story that I had told many times before. So I prayed for a new insight.

As I continued to weed and tie plants up out of the way because they had covered my front step and path I managed to pull some plants out by the roots there were two things that came to mind.

The plant that was broken or bent, I’m still not sure which will be the case when I finally find it under all the weeds, would always be a peculiar shape. That’s the way it is with us human beings even though God forgives us from our sins there will always be something a bit odd about us. Yes, we will be perfect in Heaven but here on earth we will always be a bit bent out of shape.

The other thought came to me as I kept pulling plants. I could throw them away with the weeds but I asked myself if that is what God would do. Yes, He pulls the weeds (sins) out of my life and throws them into the sea of forgetfulness. “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19 but there will always be some plants that will get pulled out by the roots. Now what should be done with these pieces? It occurred to me that they needed to be planted in another garden bed. I realised that this is what happens to us, when we are broken, hurt or disappointed with what God decides what needs to be done with our lives. It is because God uses these things to plant a new garden in the world. To influence others and let them know that He loves them and He wants them to hear that good news.

This can only be done if He sometimes allows us to be uprooted and planted in other places. God can do this without moving us physically; He may bring new people into our lives that have never heard this special message.

However, as I went to plant the new garden I could see that there was a great deal of preparation work that needed to done before any planting could be done. So it is with our Lord God, He sends the Holy Spirit to go before us and do the preparation work that needs to be carried out first.

So for the moment the plants are sitting in a bucket waiting for the right time to plant a new area.

Are you waiting to be planted somewhere new?