Day 18 weight

 These days my Facebook timeline seems to be full of nonsense. Adverts mostly.  And random posts from random groups which mean nothing to me.  So I scroll on by.  But occasionally something catches my eye - and today it is this.....

''In some parts of China, you may notice a strange sight: a stone carefully placed over a watermelon. This isn't to prevent it from rolling over or to protect it from prying hands, but rather for a deeper secret related to its sweetness.

During the day, the stone absorbs the sun's heat, protecting the watermelon from its scorching heat. As night falls, the stone gradually releases that heat, creating a thermal contrast that stimulates the fruit's ripening process, making it sweeter. It's a simple agricultural trick, but it carries a profound understanding of nature and its effects on crops.''

I read this and felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit saying that theres a lesson here.  I think it is to do with things that feel weighty and that we would rather not be carrying. But a) they are not there for long - although we obviously cant see that at the time and b) they have been placed there by the gardener for our benefit.

The watermelons left to their own devices will grow and be edible. But the farmers have discovered that the stones make them just that bit better.  The weight of stones isn't so much that it crushes them but the warmth that comes from their presence adds benefit.

Sometimes we can feel like the watermelon.  We know we are growing and doing OK. We are bearing fruit. Nothing is wrong with our progress but just as we are feeling that we can relax, a weight lands on us. Not a crushing weight but maybe a heaviness in our spirits or a responsibility handed to us. Perhaps its a burden of caring for someone or a financial pressure we weren't anticipating.  The instinct is to shake it off, pray it away, resist it.  But.......

What if the very presence of that weight has been orchestrated by God to speed up our maturing process and make us more sweet to the taste?  We are a letter that God is writing to the world (2 Cor 3:3) and it is through us that they are going to taste and see that He is good. (Ps 34:8)

Some of the weights we carry are definitely not God things. Jesus says we are to come to Him when we are heavy laden so that He can walk alongside us and shoulder the burden.  The enemy throws stuff at us which isnt ours to wear. So we need to be in conversation with Jesus when we feel heaviness on and around us.  Ask Him if this is something He has laid on us for our own good, to teach and mature and refine us, or if its something we should be letting Him carry or just throwing off and running from.

Just another random thought from your favourite Lent blogger. 😁