I thought of a wonderful analogy this summer which
relates to my gardening. Every year it seems I start out keeping the
weeds down pretty good, but over time I get distracted. Weeds get
ahead of me-- to the point where I give up and they take over. This
can be rather discouraging.
But THIS year has been different! Hubby bought me
a wonderful little tiller. It fits right in between the rows,
enabling me to keep the worst of the weeds cleaned up. THIS year my
garden looks very tidy… and it has been a pleasure to work
there...thanks to the power of this little machine.
I liken the power of this little tiller to the
power of God at work in His children. As my tiller helps me deal with
weeds in my garden, so God’s power helps his children deal with the
sin in their lives. Many try to battle sin in their own strength and,
inevitably… because their focus is on self instead of Christ…
they become discouraged…
Many give up trying to overcome the temptation to
sin because it becomes too overwhelming for them. But... as we seek
God through obedience, He will display His power at work within us,
and so free us from the grip of sin. “Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for
unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been
brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments
for righteousness” (Romans 6:12-13).
Just as I would love to be 100% free of all weeds
in my garden, so do those belonging to Christ desire to be 100% free
of sin in their lives. Unfortunately, that is not possible this side
of glory. As we obey God’s teaching however, we will experience
God's power at work within us, sanctifying us and making us more like
our Savior.. "Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord
who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:8).
As
God sanctifies us we will increasingly
display
the qualities of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives,
"..the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians
5:22-23).
Praise
God for His power at work within us!
