AdventLC

Cultivating The Garden Of Our Mind

// April 23rd, 2012 // Meditations

Bruce Dewey – Elder at the Lenoir City Seventh Day Adventist Church

One of Jimmy’s summer jobs was to help keep the family garden free of weeds. Although it was not one of Jimmy’s favorite summer activities it wasn’t so bad for an hour or so while it was still cool.

But when the sun caused sweat to run into his eyes and down his back his mind wandered to cooler activities. Things like sitting in the shade drinking a nice cool lemonade. Or taking a dip in the swimming hole down at the creek that ran through the back of their property. Even a good game of ball did not heat up a boy’s body as much as hoeing and pulling weeds.

But Dad had talked to him several times about the importance of keeping the garden free of weeds so Jimmy wiped the sweat from his eyes, took a cool drink, and kept on working.

Jimmy also knew from experience that if he didn’t do a good job it just meant there would be that many more weeds the next time, and the bigger they were the harder they were to pull.

After we plant a garden we can control the weeds and harvest vegetables for our table and flowers to beautify our home. Or we can sort of let the garden take care of it’s self and it will produce a crop of weeds.

So it is with our mind. As we go about our daily activities seed thoughts are continually being planted in our minds. And just as with a garden, if we are going to produce a worth-while crop we need to keep it cultivated and weeded.

Since the devil is continually trying to sow bad seeds in our mind we can either ask the Holy Spirit to help us cultivate out the bad thoughts, or we can let our minds run wild and allow it to become overrun with weeds.

But no matter which way we decide to go our mind will continue to produce, either for good or for evil.

Peter tells us we should not let our minds dwell on the wrong things but to “…gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)