Advent Day 12

DECEMBER 10 - DAY 12
Psalm 37:1-18
Aída Besançon Spencer

Crabgrass. There’s nothing worse than crabgrass. Next to our garage all we have is crabgrass. The little bit of grass I manage to grow every season gets engulfed by the crabgrass. But when the cool fall weather comes, the crabgrass finally stops growing and the grass has its opportunity to spread out. But this fall we have had a total overhaul of this part of our lot. The antiquated cesspool which came with our house finally imploded and has now been replaced with a new septic system. And, in the process, all the crabgrass has been dug up by a backhoe, and grass seed with anti-weed components and with fertilizer was hydro seeded into the ground.

Sometimes those who are unjust or sinful appear to persist like crabgrass that just grows and grows year after year over a cesspool of evil. And we feel we have no hope. We almost resign ourselves to a garden without grass. But the Lord can come like a giant plow and overturn the crabgrass in just minutes. It is not that we humans should not fight injustice or evil, but rather that in the process we need not to give up and become crabgrass ourselves. Ultimately, we are responsible for our own behavior.

Do we continue to trust in the Lord?
Do we continue to do good?
Do we continue to delight in the Lord?
Do we continue to commit our way to the Lord?
Do we continue to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for the Lord?
Do we continue to be satisfied with a little, but it is all from the Lord?

As a result, David’s psalm reminds us that our grass will spread over our yard. We are secure in the Lord. Justice will prevail. The Lord will cause us to flourish.

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From the Alumni/ae Relations office of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.