Sin begins as a seed and grows into thorns.
1. The first thorns came from sin.
"Cursed is the ground because of you... It will produce thorns and thistles for you." (Genesis 3:17-18) Before the fall, work and life were unburdened. Sin introduced the struggle, the pain, and the tangle.
2. Sin grows quietly.
"Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:14-15) A small compromise, left unchecked, becomes a habit, then a stronghold.
3. Sin promises pleasure but delivers pain.
"There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12) "The way of the unfaithful is hard." (Proverbs 13:15) The thorn looks like a flower at first.
4. Thorns choke what is good.
In the parable of the sower, "the seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures." (Luke 8:14) Unchecked sin and worldly distraction crowd out faith and fruitfulness.
5. We reap what we sow.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7) Sin's consequences, broken relationships, guilt, and bondage, become the hardest thorns because we planted them ourselves.
6. Sin enslaves.
"Everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (John 8:34) What we once chose, we can no longer easily escape. That is what makes these thorns so hard to pull out.
The Good News: Christ wore the thorns.
Jesus, though sinless, was crowned with thorns (Matthew 27:29), bearing the very curse of Genesis 3 for us. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." (Galatians 3:13)
What we can do:
Confess honestly:"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Turn away:"Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow." (Isaiah 55:13) God promises to replace our thorns with life when we return to Him.
Stay close to Him: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
Sin's thorns may run deep, but no thorn is too deep for the grace of the One who wore the crown of thorns for you. Bring Him what is tangled, and He will make the ground new.
Prayer: Lord, show me the thorns I have planted or allowed to grow. Forgive me, free me, and grow in me the fruit of your Spirit. Amen.
