Somewhere In The Path Of Weeds There's Something God Wants To Harvest

Somewhere in the Patch of Weeds There’s Something God Wants to Harvest

By Rev James May

Romans 11:33, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

A lot of people are in the process of growing and harvesting a vegetable garden at this time of the year. Of course none of the fruits of their labor would have ever been realized without laying a lot of groundwork in the weeks and months preceding the harvest. The planning stage came first, then the ground-breaking and shaping of the rows or the beds where the seed would be planted. Then the seed for the beans, peas, cucumbers or whatever the gardener wanted, and the seedling tomato or pepper plants had to be obtained and then all of it had to be planted at the just right time, in the right kind of soil, and with tender-loving care; watered and fertilized to make it all grow.

There was no visible change in the garden for quite some time. Then little by little changes began to occur. The seedling plants began to grow larger and taller. The seed that was buried just below the surface began to burst through very slowly, then suddenly, you walk out to look at the garden and all along the row there is a thin line of green plants beginning to grow.

It gives the gardener great satisfaction to know that after all of the planning and hard work of preparing the ground; and all of the time and expense invested, that there is a harvest on the way. All of his hard labor has not been in vain.

But right along with those little seedling plants and seeds of peas, beans and food crops that were planted that break through the ground; something else begins to grow too. It’s those pesky weeds. No farmer in Louisiana has ever grown a garden that didn’t have the problem of weeds that grew even faster and better than the food crops. Weeds can choke out the plant that we really want. Weeds can steal the water and the nutrients in the ground to the point that the plants the gardener really wants to grow with wither and die. It’s a never ending battle that plays out in every gardener’s life. The constant fight to keep the weeds under control while helping the desired plants to grow and produce fruit.

This scenario is one of the most easily understood when it comes to comparing the growth of the Word of God and the ability of the Holy Spirit to be within the heart of a Christian, giving them the ability to grow in Christ. It’s always a battle to keep the “spiritual weeds” down while allowing the “spiritual crop” to grow in our hearts. It’s a constant battle, one that never ends for as long as we live. Every day there is a new crop of weeds to weed out and keep under control while we are trying to become more like Jesus.

The most well-known parables that deals with this idea is the Parable of the Sower found in Luke Chapter 8.

Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

Luke 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

Luke 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

Luke 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bear fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Looking out over this congregation this morning, I see a lot of ground where the Holy Spirit is trying to sow the seed of the gospel that is meant to bring forth a great spiritual crop. What He desires from the seed that is sown, is that each of us will produce much fruit for the use of the Father in Heaven in strengthening and building His kingdom in the earth.

But whether that seed of the gospel takes root and grows will depend greatly upon how much the fallow ground of our hearts has been broken up and prepared to receive the seed; and how much we are willing to do to water, feed and care for the seed that is planted within us.

Whether you realize it or not, the seed is being sown in your heart right now. Every time we come together in the Lord’s house, and every time we get around one another and just talk about the Jesus and His Word; and every time you watch a minister on the TV, or listen on the radio, or hear a gospel song; the seed is being sown. God is constantly broadcasting the seed of the gospel so that the hearts of all men might receive that planting and become a part of the garden of God to bring forth righteousness in the earth.