Batteries included

June, 2008

We got a much needed thunder storm last night. This morning I went out to survey my garden. I made the mistake of getting too close, buried deep into the mud and it took a garden hose to restore my shoes to white again, well, off white. Something I have noticed about my garden is that it seems to be very much like my character. I can expend a lot of time and effort planting good seed, and removing the weeds but if I neglect it for even a day or two the weeds are right back as thick and high as if I had never touched it. The vegetables need great care but the weeds just spring up without effort and will quickly take over if I don't attack them. As I spend time with God and cultivate good traits of character I can start to see evidence of change in my life, of good fruit growing, but if I neglect my relationship with God and fail to spend time in communion with Him, the weeds in my character quickly spring up and threaten to choke out the good fruit. I spent considerable time yesterday listening to a series of sermons on the ten commandments, Gods law of Liberty. I was impressed by many things but one thing that stuck out to me was a man who asked, "have you ever bought a toy for your children, and failing to read the small print, get home to find that the batteries are not included?" He continued to say that we often look at the Ten commandments as a set of impossible regulations because we forget to include the batteries, they are contained in the first part of the chapter, Exodus 20: 2 " I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." In these words God gives the Power of His promise. Just as He brought the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt, He promises to bring me out of the bondage of sin. "All God's bidding's are enablings" just as He spoke us and all creation into existence He can and will create a new heart in us and set us free. What a wonderful promise!