Green Grass is Biblical..........almost!

Psalm 129

⁴ But the LORD is righteous;
   he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”

 ⁵ May all who hate Zion
   be turned back in shame.
⁶ May they be like grass on the roof,
   which withers before it can grow;
⁷ a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,
   nor one who gathers fill his arms.
⁸ May those who pass by not say to them,
   “The blessing of the LORD be on you;
   we bless you in the name of the LORD.”

I have grass growing on the brain and then all the sudden these verses pop up in my study. I have been spending an inordinate amount of time watering grass. It's been 100 degrees here and the grass is under stress. Not just here at home but on all of our athletic fields at GHS. We have automatic sprinklers, but they do not water the edges very well. God meant grass to be green. I am doing everything to make sure that happens. So, i move and reposition sprinklers every day, all day long. Today I let God water it. He sent a great deluge of rain. Everything got a good soaking.

As I read this verse, I got a chuckle thinking about growing grass on my roof at home. I thought how tough it would be to get on the roof and water it. I'm also not sure I want to mow it. Would it be just another place for "Dandelion Wars" (I always win!)

I am sure the Lord never meant these verses to bring such humor. But, they did. Maybe he did mean it to bring humor to me today. Isn't it amazing how the Lord speaks to us? I love to read his word. I love to let the Holy Spirit take hold of my mind and speak to me in the way God intended. Yes, I also love it when his word makes me laugh. God is amazing. Those who say he is not alive and active just don't get it. He wants to be a part of our life, but we have some responsibility to make that happen. We need to seek him and open our minds and hearts to him. We need to live in the gift he gave us, the Bible.  If we do that, he will make us laugh and so much more! Praise God for his love! Praise God for his word.

Green Grass!

Psalm 73 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
   to those who are pure in heart.
 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
 ⁴ They have no struggles;
   their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens;
   they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
   they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity^[b];
   their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
   with arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
   and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
   and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
   Does the Most High know anything?”
 ¹² This is what the wicked are like—
   always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

It's spring time. My grass if finally green again. My neighbor has already cut his lawn 3 times. I just cut mine for the first time. It looks great. I envy my neighbors yard. He is retired and has time to work on it. But, his lawn and landscaping are great. I have had other people say they are envious of my lawn. I guess "Green" is in the eye of the beholder. Do you ever catch yourself envying someone or something? I have to admit, I catch myself envying someone or the things they have. As the saying goes, "The grass is greener on the other side." Do you know this proverb has actually been researched and it's "literally" true? A scientist proved that grass viewed close up from a higher angle is visually greener than grass viewed from a more perpendicular angle. Scientific proof of the proverb "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

God can prove that our view that someone else has a much better life than us, is also wrong. I often hear Christians and non-christians alike, claim that sinners have a lot more fun. They appear to be more prosperous and amass more wealth. But, the longer I live, the more I realize this couldn't be further from the truth. I have a perfect example. My Grandpa and Grandma Lewis, were devoted, their entire life, to Christian service. They literally had nothing. They owned nothing of worldly wealth, but they had everything. I have never known a more contented couple. They cared more about people than things. They were more worried about their next ministry than their next pay check. They loved life, they loved their family and more importantly, they loved God!

We are not very content with our lives. I need to accept more of what God has blessed me with. I need to look more at what God is asking of my life, than the things I have or the things I want. God will provide, God has provided for me. His plan for me is greater than I could ever dream. My focus needs to be on his plan, not my stuff. Truly my ultimate blessing, eternal life, is more than the arrogant and the wicked can ever acquire on their own. That gift alone is more than anything we could envy on this earth.