One of the most important jobs in a garden is getting rid of weeds; if they're left, they get out of control, choke the other plants, and quickly take over. Gardeners know to beware of weeds and remove them as soon as they appear. There's a spiritual parallel here: unless we're firm, decisive, and uncompromising with sin, it'll take over our whole life.

The Message paraphrases Paul’s words like this:

‘Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life – no longer captive to sin’s demands! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God.…That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time – remember, you’ve been raised from the dead! – into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God’ (v.6-14 MSG).

So today, let's say no to sin and weed it out of our lives.

What Now?

If you have access to a garden, go and do some weeding for half an hour (or offer to help a friend or neighbour with their garden). Each time you pull up a weed, tell God about something that’s held you back from Him or that’s replaced Him in part of your life. Ask Him to help you discard anything that separates you from Him.