Grass

​Do you know what one of the largest family species on earth is? Grass!  Commonly known as Gramineaethere are more than 9,000 known species of grass. God created grass to provide a major food source worldwide. Rice, corn and oats come from grass plants. Grass plants provide helpful ingredients for making sugar, bread and even plastics. Grass is used in construction (bamboo). It is also invaluable in combating erosion. 

Grass requires three things to flourish: sunlight, water and nutrients. “Like the leaves on a tree, grass leaves serve to collect energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. The photosynthesizing chlorophyllin the leaf gives grass its green color.”[1]With respect to watering, it is best to water heavily when the plants need it as opposed to frequent, light watering which does not penetrate the soil as well. A good six to eight inches of soaking helps the roots grow deep and if applied early in the morning helps grass resist the sun’s baking temperatures. Without good soil, light and water will not sustain grass long.  The ground needs to be loose enough for aeration and so that the roots can spread out. And it must be equipped with nutrients for the roots to collect. Loam—soil comprised of silt, sand and clay is best for growing grass so long as it is not too acidic or alkaline.    

Healthy grass is free of weeds, bugs and disease. In order to sustain a healthy lawn there must be proper watering, mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and de-thatching and vigilance in fighting weeds, pests and disease.    
 
Meditation
Psalm 111:2--The LORD’s works are great, studied by all who delight in them.
 
From what stems this need to write about grass? Simply, I am amazed by the wisdom gleaned from God’s creation. We too require three things to flourish: sunlight, water and nutrients. We congregate with other healthy believers to protect ourselves from weeds (evil people that Satan uses in his attempts to destroy us—see Mat. 13:37-39). We remain alert to ward off harmful creatures and we rely on God to avoid or overcome diseases.  
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In order to sustain spiritual health we need fertilizing (inputting God’s Word); aerating (prayerful abiding in His will); dethatching (getting rid of the clutter that chokes our ability to grow) and pruning (cutting what is not productive). At times we may look dry, ragged and trampled upon. But, if we obey the will of our Gardener and submit to His care, we will vibrantly shine attesting to the glory of the One whose works are great!
 
Inspiration
Each moment of our existence, we are either growing into more or retreating into less.—Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel
 
©2013 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 
 


[1]http://home.howstuffworks.com/grass4.htm   (All information for this article was taken from this site.)