Remove the Weeds

 

I walk by a rock garden when I tread the neighborhood. The garden was once beautiful. Roses. Large stones. Little pebbles. An assortment of small colorful flowers. I don't garden, so I don't know their names, but they were pretty.

The weeds took over. No more beauty.

How quickly those weeds grew. Before I knew it, they'd ruined a tranquil sight.

As I passed by today, I stopped and photographed the garden. Like the garden, my mind gets full of similar weeds at times. How about yours?

We go along, thinking our thoughts, taking care of daily activities, and then BOOM!

Weeds control our thoughts and actions. Ugly weeds.

What kind of weeds do you have today?  I'll tell you a few of mine, but please keep them a secret, OK?

Fear.

Yep.  I'm fearful about stuff coming my way. Our daughter is ill, and decisions must be made. I don't like it one bit. I also dread with mucho anxiety what the outcome will be. 

Anger

This weed is small at the moment. That's because I yank it up and throw it out, but it grows back. Who do I feel angry toward? Mostly circumstances I can't control. Big whooop on that one, right? If I can't control something, why be mad? I pull that weed up often.

Resentment

This one is small too, but it also grows back. I sometimes resent circumstances that keep me tied down. 

I have notes taped to my desk. Here one I wrote in a Sarah book, and because it spoke to me, I taped it near as a reminder.

"Sarah," Mother Goodness smiled, "Don't look below at the circumstances. Look above to the Father."

Good advice, right? So, I need to stop looking below at the fear, anger or resentment about things down here I can't control.

I remind myself that Someone bigger than me is the Master Gardener, and He's got the landscape planned. I'm just the weed remover.

Faith and Humor

Charlie Kirk: Why Lord?

 

Charlie Kirk

I never met Charlie.

Never listened to his podcasts.

Didn’t know what he believed.

I had no idea how many people followed him.

I was clueless about his TV appearances.

Failed to hear him speak at the Republican Convention.

Never heard of Turning Point USA.

I learned he employed one thousand people in his organization.

Knew none of this until an assassins’ bullet killed him.

And now I know Charlie Kirk.

I’ve listened to his speeches. I’ve seen his family. Heard him debate.

Then the grief set in.

Overwhelming mourning.

He held a passion for God, Country, and Family, and he possessed courage to tell about all three. He didn’t go to college, but he was well versed in history, law, the US Constitution, and the Bible.

At the age of 31, God allowed Satan to take Charlie out. And Charlie entered God’s Heaven as a martyr. Martyrs receive high honors up there with the Lord.

And that’s how it should be.

But why allow Satan to take Charlie now?

I’m angry about that.

When God called Satan before him at the opening of the Book of Job, He told the wily Devil, you can do anything to Job you wish except take his life.

So, the Ancient Dude gave Job a hell on Earth. But God made Lucifer spare Job’s life.

Charlie accomplished more in his 31 years than I would do if I had 31 lifetimes. People were turning to God. They embraced patriotism. Charlie’s influence reached scores of people. He wasn’t a preacher, but he preached. He wasn’t a politician, but he understood politics. He wanted to find common ground with people who didn’t share his ideas.

So, why, God?

People say Turning Point USA will expand and reach far more people. It will. But he would have multiplied it himself in person if he had been left here to do so. And his children would have a father. His wife would have a husband.

So, why, God?  Couldn’t you see this?

Yes, I know. At the end of Job, you ask Job all kinds of questions, and You never give him the answer to his. I know you won’t give the thousands down here who are hurting any answers, either.

People use traditional cliches such as these: “God is in control.” “God has a plan.”

To comfort ourselves, we quote Romans 8:28.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. NIV

 These platitudes and verses of Scripture sound reassuring, but are they true? Will we see your plan? Will Charlie’s family see good come from this tragedy?

You expect us to trust and put our faith in You. So, we do.

What else can we do?

Nothing, we are helpless down here. There is no one to help but You.

Bad things happen. Magnify our trust. Grant us energy to carry on Charlie’s legacy. It would be a shame if we did nothing and allowed Charlie’s amazing start to go to waste.

If You had left him here a bit longer, people like me would have eventually found him, listened, and became followers. His work grew by leaps and bounds daily.

Why, Lord, why? 

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Smite Your Enemies?

 

Do you have enemies? People who lie about you? Want to rid the world of you?

Most of us do or have had foes at some time in our lives.

I'm thinking of King David. He had plenty.

Samuel anointed the young shepherd boy, David, to be the future king of Israel. With this annointing, folks began to hate David. 

God planned for David to defend Israel, but David needed to learn a few military skills first.

David grew in faith and confidence as a youngster taking care of the sheep. The little lambs faced adversaries like bears and lions, but David killed these predators. He also slew Goliath, the enemy of the Israelites.

After he assumed the kingship, David faced opposition from opponents, both foreign and local. Who in leadership doesn't? From President George Washington to the present one, our presidents have faced their share of foes. And these leaders found it tough. David discovered the difficulies of hostilities, too.

I've been teaching the Psalms in my Bible Study. David wrote the majority of these songs, and he sings, prays, and talks to the Lord about his foes in the Psalms. Sometimes he wants to be delivered or protected from these evil people, and sometimes he wishes God would smite them.

How about you? How do you feel about people who oppose you?

I spoke about it last Sunday on YouTube. I tell about a few unkind people who were my enemies for a short time. 

Gay on YouTube

Have you read any of my books lately? If not, grab one and start reading. 

Gay's Author Page