Rooted up

“Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up”  Matthew 15:13

Rooted up – Some days when I am trying to clear my head about life, I like to spend time in the garden.  Most of that time is devoted to weeding.  Not my favorite thing to do, but necessary if the flowers are going to thrive.  If you pull weeds, you will notice that unless you get out the root, the weed will soon be back.  Not even chemical killers seem to make much difference.  If the root stays in the ground, the plant will eventually return. 

Jesus was also familiar with weeding.  He lived close to the land.  Many of his greatest parables are stories about the soil.  Here is asks us to notice something about roots.  God’s intention is to nourish only those things that God plants.  Everything else will be pulled out by the roots. 

The Greek word ekrizoo literally means, “to root out”.  Once you grab on to a weed and give it a pull, you know exactly what Jesus had in mind.  But the interesting part of this verse is the scope of this action.  Every plant – not just the bad ones, not just the weeds, but every plant.  Even those plants that look like such beautiful flowers.  Even the ones that we admire, that have a fragrant perfume, that make fabulous bouquets.  If they do not have God’s fingerprints on them from His planting and care, they are going to be pulled up by the roots.  They are going to whither, fade and die.  There is only one Gardener in this world and only His plants are going to survive.

My life is much like my garden.  I have some wonderful flowers.  I love their color and I think that God does too.  My garden also has weeds.  God and I both know all about them and we both are pulling them out.  But my garden also has flowers that I have planted.  They are so beautiful that I say to God, “But why do we have to pull them up”.  He reminds me, “They aren’t my plants.”  Yes, Lord, You’re right. 

What is your garden like?