The little seed that could

Our bible study girls are doing "Tune In: How to hear God through the static" by Jen Hatmaker. Great study and I recommend it for anyone to do as a group or on their own. This last week we went over in depth Jesus's parable of the seed in Matthew 13:1-23. It reminded me of something the Lord spoke to me about years ago. Each day the Lord plants a seed in your heart that is from Him. What His desires are for you to become, for you to be for His glory. At the same time, the devil will attempt to plant weeds to kill off God's seed. You can't make it; you're a failure; who do you think you are to do something that big; you'll never amount to anything, etc., etc. We have a choice each day what we are going to do with this garden of our soul. As I look out my window, I am reminded how easily weeds grow. They need very little water, little to no food - a weed can grow even in a crack in the hard concrete! But imagine if they were to be tended to - fed heartily, given the proper nutrition, sun, and shade. The weeds would overtake the entire yard if we did not make some attempt to control them. At the same time, I look past the weeds to my rose bush off in the distance. My goodness how difficult that thing is to bloom. It has to be planted in the right soil, in the proper sun and shade, given the right amount of food and water. The neat thing about roses is they cannot grown from true seed, they must be cloned and rooted from another rose bush. It reminds me of how we are created - cloned if you will - in God's image. God roots his image directly in us. We need to be nurtured and cared for just like the rose bush. Sometimes we are pruned so that we can bring forth a more beautiful bloom. The weeds remind me of what the enemy plants in me to choke out God's beauty. All the lies he tells me - why do I nuture them? God gives us the weed killer - his word. Am I spreading the weed killer by proclaiming out loud what God has promised me? He also expects us to tend to the rose bush as well. Anyone who has grown a rose bush will tell you that the key to a beautiful rose is in direct correlation to how much care is given. How much time am I spending with the Father? How much am I reading his instruction book on how to grow? Gods beauty in me is only going to be brought forth if I take the time to nurture my relationship with him. This Valentines Day, I hope you are reminded of the one who loves you most - your heavenly Father. He has sent you much more than flowers, balloons or candy today. He sent you the greatest gift of all - his son Jesus. May we all be reminded of the greatest love their ever is.