Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!” Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Weeds are everywhere in our lives. Some are obviously dangerous and painful. Others are beautiful, eye-catching and fun. Dandelions get everywhere. I loved to pick them as a child, especially in the fall when they were puffballs, and blow so that the little puffs went everywhere. I was helping spread seeds of those tenacious weeds, setting the lawn up for invasion in the spring. There are other weeds, the pain, the losses, the major frustrations in our lives that are harder to see and harder to rid ourselves of. Yet this work, ridding ourselves of the vicious weeds in our lives, is the work of angels. We do not have to grieve the weeds, we need only trust the Creator in Christ is always and forever in charge.
Wondrous Creator, designer and author of all
you are a potter and we care clay in your hands
you are the music sung by all of your creation
and we are yours loved by you from the beginning.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun.
We worry and are so frustrated by the weeds
those who conspire against us and those who hate
we think we can fix all the weeds in our world
yet you have already taken control of the problem.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun.
Make us patient when the we feel choked out
make us prayerful when our world grows dark
make us always faithful when friends abandon us
and turn us into those who produce your love.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun.
We are weak and afraid, too often disappointed
yet you promise to help us through all dangers.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun.
We think we are being punished and abused
yet you remind us that all of life is a challenge.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun.
You are Creator, who turns sorrow to blessings
and we are always blessed to be your children.
Lord, Jesus, help us to trust we will shine like the sun. Amen.
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