“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’” (Matt. 13:27)
Expanded Passage: Matthew 13:27-30
During the winter of 2023, Asbury University experienced a wonderful period of revival on campus. Some students stayed after chapel and confessed their sins, determined to reconcile with others from whom they were alienated and just enjoyed the worship and peace of the Lord. Soon thousands of pilgrims were coming from all over the United States to enjoy this overflowing of the Spirit with crowds that numbered in the tens of thousands.
It did not take long for challenges to arise both inside and out. Some denied the spiritual experiences of those on campus, saying, “It’s just emotion and not the Spirit.” There were challenges regarding what to do with all the people who were coming. Where would they find restrooms and food for the crowds? There was the media, which always thrives on spectacle. And there were the false prophets who came to tell those crowds that they were fake Christians going to hell.
Unfortunately, Satan is way more creative than we are. Try though we might, we can never anticipate all the different ways that weeds can be sown in our Christian life. What we can do is recognize them as they sprout and trust God to keep growing us. Sometimes we can pull them; sometimes we need God’s grace to endure them. In the midst of some noxious weeds, God empowered Asbury to do all things well.
Seed God’s grace and power either to pull or endure weeds, as needed.
Ken Schenck is vice president for university partnerships with Campus EDU. He previously served as vice president for Houghton College (NY) and dean of Wesley Seminary (IN).
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
