Removing the Thorns that Block Our Path
The first physical project we took on with the house was finding the side door. It is not that the door wasn’t visible. It was, but you could not get to it because a rose bush had grown over the steps leading to it along with large stalk-type weeds that were almost six feet tall.
My mind went back to the fairy tale where the wicked witch placed a thorn bush around the castle to keep the prince out. Our rose bush wasn’t that bad, but it did prevent entry into the house at the side door. My prince armed with clippers and a weed-eater spent quite some time cutting thorns, vines, and weeds to make an access point.
This whole scene came back to me during Sunday School as we studied Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Jesus was telling the people to ask, seek, and knock. I wonder sometimes if we cease to hear God’s voice and receive blessings from Him because we have thorns of sin and disobedience blocking the path to the door of our relationship with Him. Is He waiting for us to realize and acknowledge that our relationship has been interrupted by our thorns of business, pleasure, or maybe even anger with Him because He did not answer our prior prayers?
Do you need to ask The Prince to use His divine clippers to cut away those thorns and forgive? Is He waiting for you to ask for forgiveness? Seek His will? Knock on the door that holds a clean pathway to Him? It is never too late; no matter how much has overgrown in your life. It may seem easier to just let the things that crowded in and blocked the passageway go, thinking you can make things right later. That is the enemy not wanting you to have a clear pathway with God. Daily confession and prayer are not just a good idea, but necessary. As my Sunday School teacher said, Romans 3:23 reminds us us that we all have sin and need that forgiveness.
You never get too good or too holy not to need prayer and forgiveness.
The appraiser should come in the next week. Our purpose in clearing the pathway was for him to have access to the house. What a great reminder to me to keep a clean passage way for my relationship with God.
Lord Jesus, please clear the path of my heart from sin and selfishness. Please forgive me for wanting my way above Yours. Please cut away areas in my life that don’t please You. Please remove people and things that lead me down wrong paths. I long to hear Your voice and to be able to ask You for needs in my life. I want to know You more so help me as I seek You. Please open the doors You want me to walk through and guide my path. I submit to You.
