Treasure in the dirt patch

I have a small patch of dirt in my backyard which I am planning to one day transform into a secret haven - a little patch of garden heaven - well that's the plan!

Right now you would probably not see past the thick mass of weeds, rocks and broken toys that have multiplied before my eyes - especially after the recent torrents of rain.

Yesterday I ventured out just before dinner and surveyed the menacing weeds which I am sure were not ten foot yesterday. It was really ugly, and looked impenetrable.

So while deep in thought about my dilemma of how to rid my garden of alien intruders, I automatically started pulling just a few small weeds, and after a few minutes of this found it was almost impossible to stop.

It was therapautic.

Finally I was getting my hands back in the dirt (and rocks) and seeing some changes in my garden.

I pulled and heaved and ripped and threw.

Ripping those massive weeds (small trees?) out wasn't as difficult as I thought because the root systems were so completely drenched. The satisfaction of destroying what had been subconsiously annoying me for weeks was worth the muscle straining, broken nails and mud splattered clothes.

I felt like I was becoming one with nature, ridding the world of one less ugly stem and making way hopefully for something beautiful.

About 10 minutes later, I really was on a roll pulling out gazillions of annoying weeds that had threatened to overtake the entire back yard. The kids were getting hungry, and the dog was watching me from a distance (thankfully the mud & flying weeds were keeping them all at bay) but I just couldn't stop.

Dinner and the masses would have to wait.

It wasn't until I had finally cleared the ground that I noticed one out of place 'non-weed'.

A beautiful long stem with a long yellow bud that was completely straight and facing heavenward.

A treasure in the muck and mud of my weed sodden patch of dirt.

A seed must have blown into my 'non-garden' and made it's home next to my ugly weed patch, to then grow it's precious shoot that may never have been seen by man if I hadn't impulsively, accidentally decided to de-weed!

A small blessing that literally bought the verse I read today back down to earth..

"For as surely as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so surely the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the nations through the self-fulfilling power of His Word." Is 61:11

The Message version inspires me to fill my secret garden with flowers & blooms...

"For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations."

The earth in my back yard bought forth its shoot all by itself. It's what the earth does. I love that! My garden guarantees to spring forth what is sown (when it's owner actually sows it!!!)

So God will bring forth what is right and just before men - before the nations - through the power of His Word.

It's what He does.

He will bring it before men through the promises that lie dormant like seeds waiting to be activated. They are treasures more beautiful than the wildflowers and blossoms that we see in our natural eye - reminders of what we have that is unseen.

Rightness, justice and praise - beautiful shoots springing out of the ground that may be surrounded by threatening weeds and rocks, but they will grow taller and stronger. And the weeds (of darkness, of pain, of evil) will be ripped out one by one.

And then their life giving beauty and glory which was hidden from man will be seen - and His word will be fulfilled.

So today the weeds are all gone, and my lone flower is standing tall and has literally burst open to display its wonder to the inhabitants of my backyard (me and the dog!!).

A very small but significant reminder to me of His promises, and His goodness.