FROM THE PASTOR
July 15, 2018
Connie and I don’t water our grass. Never have. Up until this week, with all the rain we’ve had, for the first time in the 17 years we’ve lived in our neighborhood, our grass has looked as green and healthy as the lawns who have in-ground sprinklers. Sadly, with the lack of rain we’ve experienced lately the grass is now beginning to turn brown. It was nice to blend in while it lasted, but now the difference is beginning to show.
As I walked across the lawn this week, I couldn’t help but relate the browning brittleness of the grass under my feet to the Christian walk of some Christians. Understand, I’m not referring to degrees of maturity (although after a while the lack of maturity does begin play a significant role) nor am I trying to enter into the debate concerning the existence or nonexistence of carnal Christians. What I’m referring to are believers who participate in the age-old practice of living as shallow Christians.
Like my grass, these Christians blend in quite well as long as the conditions are right. As long as it rains sufficiently, my grass looks like any other well-watered and fed lawn. But as soon as the ‘right conditions’ become ‘challenging conditions’ these Christians metaphorically begin to brown and soon turn brittle. And the difference between healthy and unhealthy is then readily seen by other Christians and the world.
One issue is my lawn has a predominance of sand in the soil. Sand doesn’t provide nutrients, nor does it retain moisture very long. In fact, think about it, sand is really nothing more than finely ground up pieces of rock. As soon as adverse conditions enter the picture the sandy soil has nothing to offer in the way of being a stabilizing force to the plants. So too, many Christians live a life built on spiritually sandy surfaces. Easy to blend in for a while but not very stabilizing in their lives and definitely not conducive to long-lasting growth.
As Christians we are called to be filling ourselves with spiritual nourishment because at some point there will be droughts in our lives. In the parable of the soil Christ identified several different soils in relation to the Gospel. One in particular he taught…
Luke 8:6 (NASB)
6 "Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
You and I have a responsibility to nurture our growth in Christ. Are you preparing your heart to receive the Word so it will become as the next soil described by Christ?
Luke 8:8 (NASB)
8 "Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great."
Takes purposefulness and intentionality…
Thank you for your faithfulness. Pastor Larry
