“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” Proverbs 25:1
It had been a while since I had cut grass on that lot and little while since it had been cut by another. That amount of time, coupled with the time of the year, helped me forget about the hidden nuisance that occurs there. It is one of Florida’s unwelcome features and comes in second, only to fire ants. This time of year the seed heads of sand-spurs pop up, proudly stick out their prickly tongues and seeming say… “Haaaaaa…Did ya miss me?!” I immediately stopped the mower, went to get gloves and trash can, then got down on my knees to diligently search!
Sand-spurs are good hiders. In a green yard full of numerous types of grass, one would never spot them. But when left to grow for too long, and especially in the fall, they seem to pop up quickly. They have barbs like fishhooks that, when mature, easily catch onto clothing to be transported to another area where they can grow and reek havoc. From the center root they send out shoots that creep under and through the other grasses, then pop up like a demon from hell. The only way I have found to get rid of them is to get down into the grass, follow the shoots and then pull up the heart of the root. Doing this GUARANTEES some pain! But if left alone to mature and drop, bare feet have no chance against a sand-spur’s sting.
Where do thorns, pricks, mosquitoes and wasps come from? Were they part of the original Garden of Eden or added later after Adam and Eve fell? It is difficult to know for sure. Though, in my Bible reading, I have come to my own conclusion. But even the right answer does nothing to alleviate the sand-spurs sting. Besides, there are better questions that we can ask of God that can help us stand up to the REAL pains of this life. But one must WANT to search to find the answers.
God hides! That is TRUTH! Many verses allude to the fact that God never leaves or forsakes us, but He DOES conceal and hide truths from us. Why? Well, if you know ANYTHING about love, you know that its initial appeal causes pursuit. To grow deeply in love requires getting down into the roots of our hearts to discover intimate things that can be built upon. Problems between spouses can occur when either partner, or both, don’t care to invest and go deeper into the relationship. Sadly, a heart left alone will typically produce thorns instead of flowers.
The Bible tells us that we will find God when we seek Him with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). It is a call to intimacy and desire, where God hides, just waiting to be found. He is NOT an easy lover and demands time and effort to see His glory. He created women with this tendency… and it is NOT a bad thing. His purpose is to ask… “how much do you REALLY want and desire me” It is a call to get on our knees and diligently search!
I have had numerous burrs under my saddle throughout my life. Questions for God that I wanted answers to. Like, “What did Jesus mean when He said we would do GREATER things than He?” And what’s all that business about ‘asking in faith… believing, and you will get what you ask?’ I wrestled with that one for 21 years before I got my answer. But it only came through time and pain as I continually sought it out.
God’s Word is a mysterious treasure trove of wisdom, help, strength and courage. It supplies the seeker with everything they need in this life to get through struggles and hardships… AND to grow closer to HIM. But to gain its prize, one needs to stop, get down on knees and put time into searching for it. And yes, there will be pain! Are you with me?
