Be ye satisfied/Coveted clover

You have a lot of time to think when you push mow a lawn.

Last week I was noticing the weapons grade patches of clover in my lawn and the thought struck me “If my goal was to harvest clover I would be a smashing success.” I harbor no green thumb delusions. My lawn care check list consists of Mow Lawn weekly. That is it. I was all gung ho once when we first bought the house so I fertilized the lawn with my brand spanking new broadcast spreader. Even elicited the advice of my father (quite skilled in the art of lawn) and others and I made sure to choose the right type of fertilizer. Then the grass shot up to where I had to mow it twice a week. Did I mention that I push mow? That was the end of that. I dare someone to try and fertilize my lawn now. They will get chased down the street. But that does not mean I want to give free reign to all manner of undesirable flora.

While pondering how to get rid of the green scourge called clover my neighbor and I started talking and he told me he noticed and was impressed with how green my lawn was and was trying to make his greener also. Really. Success and failure can be solely matters of perspective and distance it would appear. What I viewed as a failure up close was mistaken for success from afar. My neighbor is great and may have been saying this to be nice, but it brought me ultimately to my main point, thought, and question.

Have I ever coveted someone else’s clover?

This is clearly not as the Lord intended as stated in scripture, e.g.

Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

What have I (and by extension we) viewed from a distance that may not have been as it seemed up close?

-That house that seems so wonderful could be leading the owners to the poor house.
-That spouse that seems so perfect could be a nightmare behind closed doors.
-That lawn (sorry no -ouse rhyme fit.) that seems so green could be green with weeds and infestations.

Instead of:

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (New International Version)
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless.

or

Ecclesiastes 6:7 (New International Version)
7 All man’s efforts are for his mouth,
yet his appetite is never satisfied.

I pray strength to follow the commands of the Lord, have faith, and follow the word of the Lord as recorded in:

Deuteronomy 11:13-15 (New International Version)
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul- 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Over the years I have crafted a highly technical litmus test to determine what I need that boils down to one question. Here it is:

Do I have it?

If the answer is no than I do not need it no matter how badly I may want it.

2 Peter 1:2-4 (New International Version)
2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

The Lord will provide the portion we need and when we need it. For our needs to be met our eyes need to stray no further than the Lord. Be ye satisfied.

God bless,

Eric