I remember when we first moved into our home, there was a beautiful trumpet vine growing over the shed with big orange blooms cascading down. It almost had a romantic glow like something from a Thomas Kinkade painting. What I didn’t know was that the vines had started growing down into the shed busting up the walls and the roof. Ryan began an attack campaign against this extremely formidable foe. It took a while but he seemed to be winning. Then after a few weeks of neglect the vines reappeared, the roots were not dead. Ryan has fought that vine for over five years and if he doesn’t remain vigilant, stray shoots will venture out into the open. Those persistent and invasive vines even crossed the road and tried to take over the neighbor’s pine tree!
Sin is like an invasive vine. It looks beautiful to begin with but its sinister plan is revealed over time. Turning our lives over to the Divine Gardner seems like an easy fix, but often we even struggle to give our lives to the very One who can save us! Each morning a daily Bible verse is delivered to my email inbox. It is amazing how even just a few choice words of scripture can remind me of how much I need Christ. Jesus tells us that following Him will not be easy. Why then do I question when I struggle days, months, even years with the same sins? The truth is that deep rooted sin may take a lifetime to overcome.
Last week, there was an issue at work with hard feelings on all sides. With God’s help, I mostly succeeded in not complaining about it to other people. After all, there wasn’t anything anyone else could do. The next morning the daily email scripture was from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-5: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil” (NKJV). God reminded me that overcoming sin isn’t just about outward appearance. I struggled for several days not to linger on unfruitful negative thoughts. When I realized how often my mind turned back to the situation, I felt like I’d gone back to Egypt. Digging up those roots took the help of the Divine Gardner and no matter how many times it takes, as long as I ask Jesus to help me turn around then the battle isn’t lost.
When we move, the next home owners will have a choice to make. A choice they might not even know about for a few months, but eventually that trumpet vine will burst forth in all its deceitful glory! Will they continue the fight or will they allow it to take over? Jesus relied on the Father to keep Himself on the right path, and we can do the same if we are willing to stay in the fight.