Roses

"Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow."

France's Hodgson Burnett, 1859-1924

What if we were built for more than just pulling out the weeds in our lives, more than just fighting off sins and bad habits?  

What if what's inside us is actually this rich, organic substance that incubates and displays God's beauty?  

Colossians 3 challenges us to pull out the weeds in our lives, but then it spends just as long pleading with us to grow the flowers by putting on righteousness.

I've been too short-sighted lately.  But now I see that I want a life of roses, not just empty soil.  And isn't it so true that higher goals always make maintenance work so much easier?  It's easy to clean your house when you have company coming.  But if it's your only project for the day, all the sudden it's daunting.  

ROSES.

- In my marriage, I want to give my life away again and again to Jeff.  I want to constantly be changed into someone who deeply loves and is loved.  Soil would just be pleasant cohabitation--surely the soil God has given me is destined for more than just that.

- In my job, I want to work knowing that everything I do is directly for Jesus.  I want to do as much as I can for as long as I can as hard as I can because I love Him.  That's what a rose looks like--not just the sandbox of meeting expectations.

- In my friendships, I want to search out and discover the greatness God has put into these precious people He has me around.  I want to be a friend like Jonathan was to David.  Soil would be cordial conversations to make me feel better.  There's so much more hat can be entailed in 'living a life worthy of the Lord.'

Lord, I am sorry for settling for empty soil.  Thank You for being patient with me.  I know that unless You build the house (or me, the plant), we work in vain.  I pray for beautiful roses to sprout up in this dusty soul You've given me.  I want people to see the flowers You grow and marvel at Your creativity.  Here I am Lord.