No.37
From Wendy Howard [Editor of Despatch magazine], Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia.
Access Online  http://www.despatch.cth.com.au/Main/tabco_main

I got my glasses and went closer.
I bent down and do you know what they were?
They were tiny bush orchids.
Hundreds and hundreds of them.
They were gorgeous.
We went and looked at those lovely little flowers every day, until they finally faded.
We said, “never mind, next spring the orchids will flower again.
“ There were thick, strong orchid plants snaking down to the gully at that time.

I nearly forgot the orchids.
That winter I planted a small daisy near our stone fire place.
It was a pretty, flat clump only as big as my hand.
We got on with our work, and forgot the daisy too.
It rained a lot, and many hot, steamy months went by.
Winter again passed and spring came.
We remembered the lovely orchids which had covered the gully to the creek.
We went to see if they were there again that year.
But there were no orchids.
The tiny daisy I planted far away from the orchid plants had grown.
It had crept along the ground and I hadn’t noticed.
It had spread right across from the fire place, under the ferns,
and was covering the bank now.
It had killed the orchid plants by crowding them out!

I was so sorry I had planted that daisy!
But it was too late, the bush orchids never came back.
We pulled out the daisy, but it just grew again.
It is still there, everywhere.
It was a sort of pretty looking weed really.

We can grow weeds in the garden of our hearts like that daisy.
Those weeds can spoil the beautiful flowers that God grows.
He wants us to have the flowers of love, kindness, happiness and gentleness.
You might let a weed like bad temper grow in your heart garden.
It might start out small, and grow and grow.
Then the flowers of God’s love are ruined.
Or you might let telling tales spoil you heart garden.
Or maybe telling lies!
Sins like saying rude words can grow in your heart’s garden.
Then the orchids of love and beauty will be spoiled.
Don’t let that happen.
Confess to God when you do wrong,
and let Him grow the flowers of the pure Holy Spirit in your heart.

There are awful sin weeds that can grow and grow  from small beginnings!
You might think no one will know if you let impure thoughts come into your mind.
But these can take over and control you, and godliness is crowded out.
Or you might think it won’t matter if you brag on yourself and act proud and arrogant. But this way of acting can grow and grow, and humility and unselfishness cannot grow  then.  Jesus Christ wants to make you beautiful for Himself to enjoy. Just like we enjoyed those lovely orchids.
The delightful book in the Bible,
The Song of Solomon, in chapter 6:2,3, says this about the Lord