HOW GREEN IS YOUR GRASS?

I am sitting in my office this morning, looking out at perhaps the greenest grass I have ever seen in the yard that surrounds our condo here in Murrells Inlet, SC. It has achieved this magnificent color due to at least two reasons.... 1) it has been extremely well-watered this month and 2) I am not the one that takes care of it. In fact, when rain is not it's source of refreshment, we have a sprinkler system to use to take up the deficiency of diminished rainfall; however, with all the rain we have had in June, it has never once been employed to do its job.

So what happens when our grass in not watered so abundantly? It withers and turns a sandy shade of brown (could be the topsoil shining through)...and it is not a very pretty sight. Yes, everyone wants to have a healthy, GREEN lawn in the summer; but, if the rain does not fall and there is no other system in place, BROWN BECOMES THE NEW GREEN.

The same can happen in our spiritual lives as we go about our daily living. If we are plugged into the  "Living Water" that is Jesus and are given our daily refreshment and nourishment from His Holy Word...we can cultivate and grow our lives to be as God intended...FULL OF GRACE,  MERCY AND LOVE THAT WE CAN BESTOW ON ALL THOSE WE ENCOUNTER IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH HIM.

Perhaps the apostle Peter said it best when he wrote, "For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you." 1 Peter 1:24-25

I am confident when I write this that no one entered into a relationship with Christ and expected that we would naturally grow in Him, have meaningful fellowship, build an enduring friendship or grow to be whom God intended us to be without having to do SOMETHING ON OUR PART.  To think otherwise would be like throwing handfuls of grass seed on brown dirt; walking away and coming back in several weeks (or months), pushing a lawn mower, planning to mow our gorgeous, healthy green lawn....that's totally ridiculous thinking!

Yet, it amazes me that many young followers (an elderly saints as well) treat their relationship with Christ in such a manner. They attend church, bring their Bibles and follow along as the pastor reads his text for his weekly sermon; but once back inside the comforts of home, their Bible is place on the desk or in the bookcase, waiting for the next Sunday to roll around so the cycle can begin again. If you watered your lawn like this....what color would you expect it to be?

So let me ask again...HOW GREEN IS YOUR GRASS? Are you proud of the color of your spiritual lawn? Is it getting all the  "living water" and spiritual nutrients that it needs so that others will see your life and think, "Now that's what I call a GREEN lawn!"

If you are spending time in the Word of God which never fades nor falters but endures and energizes forever, then I believe that you are well on your way to making sure that brown grass will not be what others see when they look at the lawn you are cultivating with and for the Lord.

And one last thought concerning the sprinkler system I mentioned before....it is there as a backup plan, not there to replace the original watering system of God's abundant rain. For in our spiritual lives, if we allow the substitutes of religious meetings, activities, fundraisers for good causes, and other worthwhile endeavors to take the place of spending time in God's Word, totally  focused on Him, it will not be long before we begin to see brown patches taking over our once green grass. Yes, every sprinkler system has its costs and since they are there to backup and not be a substitute for the REAL THING, you must be careful how you use this system. If you are not very careful, you might have brown grass growing everywhere before you know it....and let's face it, brown grass is NOT A PRETTY SIGHT ......and it can take a long time, possibly at some great costs, to restore what once was GREEN!

Digging deep into God's Word...Living for the Abundant Rain,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

I began a brand new walk

When Christ came to live in me.

Not knowing what would lie ahead

Or what He would ask of me?

But His requests were quiet simple

As each day would begin anew;

He wanted me to walk with Him

And to His cause be true...

To love those who were unlovable,

To help mend a broken heart;

To lift up the weak, downtrodden

Is always a place to start.

So as I make this journey

With Christ walking by my side;

I'll gladly go where He directs

As my friend and lifelong guide.

W.  Patrick Queen © July 2020