I arrived home late tonight, had a late dinner with Anne, and then headed out the veggie gardens to inspect the tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, snow peas, herbs and, of course, my beehives. I didn’t really want to go outside, preferring to get back to my desk and finish the things I couldn’t get to today. Anne encouraged me. I got the garden hose fired up and gave each of the garden beds a bit of a soaking because I had relied on last week’s rains to keep them going while I was back at work and hard pressed for watering time.
I got to my main patch and was dismayed to find a few of my best plants had died off a bit because of the heat and insufficient water. I was also surprised at how quickly the weeds had come back into the herb patch – it had only been a week without me tending the plants … but that’s all it took for some damage to be done. I gave the beds a pretty good watering knowing tomorrow (Wednesday) was going to be a hot one. I filled the birdbath near the beehives with water, too, and suddenly thirsty bees were landing there gulping it down having smelled the water in the evening air. I swear they gave me a filthy look!
As I was doing all that, I felt the Lord say to me, “It only takes a short time for damage to be done, doesn’t it?” I knew what He was saying.
It only took a week of non-attention for the weeds to come back and start choking the basil and spinach; it only took a week for some of my tomato plants to sustain some irreversible damage – I might lose a few, I think. It only took a week for the bees to feel neglected.
It only took a week … a week … relying on other haphazard elements …
It only takes a week for sins to accumulate if not addressed and to start sandbagging your new spirit’s ability to function above the flesh … it only takes a week for your prayer life to falter and be damaged and the great disconnecting momentum to begin. If you stop praying … it only takes a week for distance to be deeply felt between you and the Lord who so loves and looks forward to your presence. It only takes a week for a cloud to come between you and your life source …
It only takes a week …
One week to sense a damaging difference. The tomato plants, herbs and bees, were salvaged, of course … but for we born agains tending and properly maintaining caringly is way better than having to salvage what’s left. Sometimes what’s lost can be irreplaceable. It is so important for us to not allow anything to come between us and the Christ in us – our life and hope. And when something does come between, it is critical that the issue be dealt with swiftly and the damaging momentum reversed. The solution to the accumulation of sins is found in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The cloud is removed. Confess all known sin. Confess right away, don’t delay. Keep short accounts with God. Pray, even if you don’t feel like it – just pray! Why? It only takes a week for damage to be done, and a damaging disconnect to gather serious momentum. Only a week …
Rev. Dr. Charles Albert Tindley (1851 – 1933) was an American Methodist minister and gospel music composer. Many in his day referred to him as "The Prince of Preachers". He wrote many gospel songs and poems … here is one poem I cherish.
“Nothing between my soul and the Saviour,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favour,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.”
- C. A. Tindley
You are dearly loved!
Ps Milton