Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. (Hebrews 6:7-8)
What are you cultivating? One definition for cultivating is: to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention. So what are you working hard at? Who or what commands your attention? Our habits are often good indicators of things that we have been cultivating.
The act of cultivating is not limited to good things. Whatever we nurture--positive or negative--will eventually crop up in our lives.
Prayerfully, we are cultivating useful things--things that are a blessing to us and others. However, if we are promoting or giving attention to things based on a play now and pay later system, "later" just might come a little sooner than we expected.
God makes it clear that a crop of "thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned." This is a serious warning. We do not have the luxury of feigning ignorance or pretending like God doesn't see what we are sowing in our secret fields.
Whatever or whomever is the priority in our lives needs to be examined for thorns and thistles. If we pride ourselves on being tough, rough and quick to pierce anyone who rubs us the wrong way, that just might be an indication that we are cultivating thorns.
If we are rigid and set in our ways, prickly and unapproachable, proudly sticking out like a sore thumb--and unapologetically causing "sore thumbs" for others by what we say and do--perhaps it's time to explore what it is we really expect to gain from impersonating a cactus.
Come on in from the desert and allow God's presence to rain on you and reign over you. Soak it up. Soften up. Lighten up. Fill up those dry, prickly places with the loving and empowering presence of God's Holy Spirit and watch what begins to grow.
God's plan for us includes a wonderful future and a hope. We must be determined to find out exactly what that means for each of us. I don't know what God has in store for you, but I'm pretty sure that running in circles, ranting and raving, or holding on to things and people we should have outgrown or let go of long ago is not God's idea of a future and a hope.
We must not allow the troubles of this world to cause us to forfeit our abundant field of dreams in exchange for a little crop of horrors. Let's seize the day and cease investing in worthless works. For, as Jesus says, we "must work the works of Him who sent [us] while it is day; [the] night is coming when no one can work." (John 9:4)
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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