weeds
 What a pain weeds are! They really infuriate the novice gardener and the budding yet ham-fisted horticulturist. When Annie (my wife) sets me to dig over a flower bed she painstakingly points out all the plants that she deems are worth saving and must not be disturbed for any reason. To me they can all appear the same except for the few I have learned to recognise - the hideous and evil ground elder, the vicious and wrath producing nettle and the skin shredding temper inducing bramble. At least the latter, in the correct place and environment, produce the blackberry but Oh the torture and lacerations one has to endure to win the fruity prize and the promise of crumble for tea!I was in the changing rooms of a local gym and I overheard a conversation that went something like this. “I’m going to dig over the garden this weekend and you can come and help me. If it rains I’ll do it next weekend and if it rains I’ll do it the weekend after that – it’s them brambles – do you know they go right underground!”
When Jesus told stories about what the kingdom was like, he usually spoke in terms of things hidden or secret. Seeds and treasure were buried in the ground, yeast was in the dough, a pearl was there to be found and not on obvious display. In the story about the weeds it is the enemy’s work that is secret. In Matthew 13 v24-30 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' "'An enemy did this,' he replied.”The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
When Jesus came he came as the King of his Kingdom. He brought the Kingdom with him. He healed the sick and raised the dead. Today although the Kingdom has come, it has not fully come. The kingdom will increase and of its increase there will be no end. But until it fully comes we run side by side with the works of the evil one – all the stuff that the enemy does. The kingdom increases every time someone is set free, healed or saved. Then enemy’s work is undone. Let us press on praying that prayer – Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
|
