Kudzu Unchecked

Two nights ago, I decided to do something I had been putting off for a bit this summer: weeding my snapdragon bed. I kept up with it during May. However, once it got real hot, the weeds kind of "took off" and with a million other things to do, that was an easy one to delay.
I have a lot of vines in my yard: morning glory, grape vine, and kudzu. I've got to be honest, not a huge fan. They kind of grow crazy and then when they die I have to pick all the dead stuff out of my fence.


So, with the kids in bed early I decided it was a great evening to tackle the weeds over there. I had no idea I was going to encounter "Weeds Gone Wild"!! I mean, some of these were 3 to 4 feet tall!! The blessing was that most of them pulled up easy. But it was a work out. And the kudzu!! That stuff is a beast! If someone has a miracle way to get rid of it, please let me know. I just keep pulling it out and it comes right back. But as always, God had a revelation for me during this. (I find that He reveals Himself a lot through gardening)


Kudzu is a lot like sin. Sometimes it kind of creeps in slowly. We may not really pay it much attention. It certainly grows easily enough. And we may think, "I'll deal with it later. It's not that big of a problem. Maybe I'll just contain it in this little spot and it won't be hard to get rid of."


Um..yeah. Kudzu is NOT ever contained. It pries itself into every corner it wants to. You can't trim it back, or keep it in one place for long. I think sin is the same- you may try for awhile to keep sins private, but they will eventually be revealed. "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."  Proverbs 28:13




You can't have both kudzu and flowers in your yard and expect them to get along. Not gonna happen. One will take over. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. " Matthew 6:24
There has to be a choice- you can't hold on to your sin and serve Christ.


We all have kudzu. Driving around, you can see it taking over trees, shrubs, etc. Likewise, we ALL have sin. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9


It is time to get rid of the kudzu before it gets any more out of control. Confess your sins to God, who is gracious to forgive, before they get out of control and hurt those around you (if they haven't already). Don't fool yourself into waiting for enough time, or that you don't need Him, or that you don't have a problem. He wants to enter your heart and clean out the mess. Ask anyone who has allowed Him to do so; I guarantee they haven't regretted it!


P.S. PLEASE don't think I don't struggle as well. In many ways God reminds me daily how imperfect I am. This keeps me close to Him, because I need Him, and that's how He wants it to be!