A short story
I like cutting the grass and keeping my lawn in good shape. After I cut the grass and trim it neatly, I look over at it and I’m like “Now that’s a good job.” I look out at it because I remember when we first got the house and the lawn was mostly greeds (grass-like weeds) So it amazes me when I see its growth. However, this “examination” reveals some parts of the lawn that need a little work.
There are two parts that I am working on now, let's examine the first part:
1. On the side of the house, underneath the trees that serve as a property divider
There are two parts that I am working on now, let's examine the first part:
1. On the side of the house, underneath the trees that serve as a property divider
So I said,
Let me just add some water. So I watered the area and the whole yard. Some time in the day, some time in the night. This process went on for a little while until I looked out at the lawn and saw the lawn looking good out front and out back. But nothing changed in this area. I’m like, are you serious. So I gave up. I was tired of watering without results. I witnessed that area of the lawn deteriorate to the point when I just got tired of looking at it. I was tired of the same situation and so I did something. Granted I should have done some things before it came to this point but sometimes you have to truly assess a situation and get upset at it in order for you to take some action towards resolving the issue at hand.
So I looked at this area of my lawn and I noticed a few things.
1. The first thing I noticed in the area by the trees was that this grass had faded away because it couldn’t get enough sunlight and water. Why couldn’t it get enough sunlight and water? The branches from the trees were taking all the sun and the trees' roots were taking a lot of the water. In addition there were leaves from the fall mixed in with the grass that was soaking up the water that remained. This area wasn’t getting any nourishment
1. The first thing I noticed in the area by the trees was that this grass had faded away because it couldn’t get enough sunlight and water. Why couldn’t it get enough sunlight and water? The branches from the trees were taking all the sun and the trees' roots were taking a lot of the water. In addition there were leaves from the fall mixed in with the grass that was soaking up the water that remained. This area wasn’t getting any nourishment
Deeper examination into the matter broke down like this
You know, sometimes, we can be just like the lawn. Our spiritual vessels/temples in which the Holy Ghost resides, need daily maintenance. Sometimes we let the oversized branches take all of our sun. The sun represents Joy! Then, if that ain’t enough, we let some things interfere with our feeding. Now ya’ll know me, I am so serious about food. However, tough schedules and different priorities prevent us from consuming and absorbing the nutrients we need replenished daily.
Don’t let nothing or noone steal your joy. We should not be discouraged by the various situations and circumstances that occur in our lives.
Joy just ain’t being happy but Joy is recognizing that Jesus is right there with us! And where Jesus is, joy is also
4 comments:
Indeed. Too often our society blindly pursues the transient happiness that comes from circumstances and events (knowing this well, I too am guilty). However, this true Joy that the Jacksons speak of can only come from knowing Jesus. Like a stained glass window colored with the salvation of Christ, the world appears vastly different. At first one may not even recognize the beauty, saying that it is odd, distorted, not real or artificial. But keep looking my friend. What you're seeing is truth, multicolored magnificance and true joy. Christ's stained glass window IS different. We should NOT see the world as non-believers. Can we retrain our eyes to see through the stained glass, (rejected throughout except in the church)? Joy is found in Christ, look no further.
So true my friend and a deep question you posit. Can we retrain our eyes? So our joy is something tangible as well. This isn't a lofty idea or concept but something so real your senses perceive it
WOW! PREACH ON JACKSONS!
This is some good stuff. I would have to agree that many of us tend to search for happiness and joy by attempting to appease the infinite appetite of our flesh, instead of receiving the spiritual joy that only God can offer. A person searching to feed the flesh is like a person who searches to smoke crack. They will begin to want to feed the flesh more and more because the previous little sinful episodes don't quite satisfy the flesh anymore, just like the first little hit doesn't achieve same high for the crack addict. We want more and more until finally we become slaves to that thing that we've been feeding our flesh, just as crack addict is now a slave to crack. The joy we receive from God is almost an anti-drug (I'm sure Courtney knows the correct medical term for this). The more of God's joy that we have, the less we desire to feed our flesh. In this way the Joy of God, not the Joy of feeding the flesh will, keep us free, enable us to enjoy life and realize his perfect will for our lives.
Preach on Deuce!! I feel ya!
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