The gate that protects the path leading into Rosa de Amor is littered with vines.
Yesterday, Dan and I were asked to begin clearing those vines. We were told to bring weapons.
These vines have been growing for years without reproach, and their roots are buried deep into an otherwise beautiful and fertile garden. Giermo, our ministry host, began our work for us two months ago, when he severed the vines from their roots along the first five feet of the wall. It was there that Dan and I began; and it was there that Dan and I were given a brief and false hope that this task could be accomplished easily. Where Giermo had begun a good work, we were able to complete it with ease.
When we moved past the first five feet, our work slowed significantly. As Dan feverishly chopped away at the roots and dodged the spiders and bugs and larva that had called them a home, I flailing yanked the roots out of the ground. The first five feet took about five minutes. The next 10 feet took about an hour.
The work that Giermo and his wife Pat and our other host Rosa have done here is just the same: they have taken these children away from their evil roots — they are free from abusive mothers and fathers, free from poverty and free to pursue God and education and healthy friendships and relationships with each other. They are free from their roots. And our team has been able to begin pulling those vines off to clear the way for something better.
So where are the roots of the vines in your life? What sins are you struggling with that keep you hidden? Whatever it is, my hope for you is that you allow God or one of his workers to chop that root and begin to clear away that vine.
There's something strange that comes from removal. When we allow God to clear away the stuff that is keeping us from him — pride and greed and idols — he replaces it with something so much more beautiful. Jesus says that he'll prune you. He'll clear the roots that make you ugly and he'll replace them and allow your life to bear more fruit.
After we clear this wall, Giermo and Pat are going to dig into this soil again and plant these purple flowers.
