Shepastor: “Yep, It’s a Weed!!!”

But if you fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, their survivors will become irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, to prick your sides and afflict you in the very land in which you'll be living. Numbers 33:55, NIV

Today as I walked past the shrubbery in our yard, I noticed lovely, leafy, broad stemmed greenery. Indeed, it looked beautiful among the shrubs and other flowers. However, from previous experience, I knew that it was a weed, masquerading as a flower! While observing this deceitful, pesky invader, my mind wandered toward the tactics of the enemy.

Numbers 33:55 is a verse of scripture couched within the promised land journey. As the children of Israel were nearing the entrance into the land they’d prayed for, for generations, the stark warning they received remains relevant today…

But if you fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, their survivors will become irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, to prick your sides and afflict you in the very land in which you'll be living. Numbers 33:55, NIV

Just like weeds, there are things that appear beautiful, innocent, pleasing, fulfilling that if left unchecked will destroy us in days to come. If the enemy were to come to us in “true fashion” we would quickly reject him. Weeds illustrate this point. Unlike the smooth, beautiful broad leaves on the one foliage, another weed bush was prickly and ugly.

I immediately recognized that it was a weed. But for past experiences, I would have been fooled by the other. Though beautiful, their stems are hollow. They have nothing good to offer. Their root systems will destroy the healthy bushes and flowers in our garden. They must be pulled up from the root.

As you prepare to enter the place God has promised and prepared for you, maybe for generations, uproot those things that appear innocent, pleasing, beautiful, but in actuality are deadly. Uproot bad habits. Uproot those secret sins (that are not so secret – God sees you!) Uproot unhealthy relationships. Uproot anything that will hinder you for the true beauty God has for you in the land where you are going. Remember, it’s a weed!

Post a comment or send me an email at Revcsmith1@gmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org