DEVOTION

I have a love/hate relationship with my yard.

I love it when the lawn is green and freshly cut, the beds have new mulch, and the flowers are blooming. I hate it pretty much every other time. What I’ve noticed over the years is that the state of my yard is directly related to the amount of time I spend taking care of it. If I plant and tend to my flower beds, then blooms will grow. If I don’t do anything, the weeds will assuredly take over, choking out any healthy growth.

It reminds me of the promise of God’s Word in Psalm 1:1-3: "Whatever we plant and tend in our lives will bear fruit: good, bad, or anxious."

This month has been one for the history books, hasn’t it? I’ve found that the days I’m not intentional about what I read and watch, then “weeds” begin to take root in my heart. Weeds like worry, anxiety, fear, and bitterness. But when I plant my mind and heart in God’s Word, that produces fruit in my life, too.

May I ask you a question? What are you planting in yourself this week, and what is that producing in your life?

Think about a bit of dandelion fluff compared to a yard pitted with weeds, or an apple seed compared to a fruitful tree. It is a sobering reality: what takes root always grows into something bigger. When we don't replace worry and fear with truth, these "weeds" take root and spread into our thoughts, words, and actions.

The seeds of God's Word grow, too: if we plant his truths and promises deep in our hearts, the resulting growth will shelter and nourish us in difficulty. Let’s be rooted in Christ and tend to the fruit of his Spirit: love and peace and joy! The extra time we have now is an opportunity to grow, so let's nurture our faith, not our fear.

PRAYER

Father,

Thank you that you are the ultimate gardener and tender of hearts. As we plant ourselves in the truth of your goodness and love, you will produce fruit in us. Give us eyes to see where worry and anxiety have taken root in our hearts, and empower us to replace fear with faith.

Andy Rauschkolb

Pastor of Young Adults and Small Groups

arauschkolb@crossings.church