Power Of Aunt Bessie's Pickled Beets

Key Scripture: "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults."
Psalm 19:12

Power Point:

I spent the first sixty or so years of my life never eating beets.  I don’t ever remember my mother serving them and since I was what might be described as a “picky eater”, I thought my life was just fine without beets. 

     Imagine my surprise this year when I asked the Lord for His words for me for this year and He replied “Pickled Beets”.  Excuse me? At any rate, I decided to Google “Pickled Beets” and actually found a sermon by someone, (I’m sorry, I can’t remember his name), on Pickled Beets. Whoever said you can find anything on the internet is evidently right.

     Pickled beets are the things that your Aunt Bessie gave you for Christmas and you have pushed them to the back of that shelf in your pantry.  When you are hungry you probably go to your pantry to see if there’s anything available, and all you see are Aunt Bessie’s pickled beets. They don’t tempt you so you push them to the back again hoping they will disappear by the next time you are hungry.

    In the Jewish tradition, the beets are symbolic of cleansing the body of its impurities.  According to a Jewish friend of mine they are known as “silka” related to the word “siluk” meaning removal.  There is a prayer that they pray before eating the beets which says:

“May it be your will Eternal God that our adversaries will be removed.”

      According to my friend Shari, “The adversaries referred to in the prayer before eating the beet are the spiritual roadblocks created by the past year’s missteps that must be removed before a sweet New Year is granted.”

    I began to understand a bit more why the Lord would have given me “Pickled Beets”.  He was about to do some spring cleaning in my life and the things I had shoved to the back of the shelf were going to have to be brought out and removed. Evidently there was more than one jar. It’s been a busy house-cleaning year! 

     Do you think its possible that you might have a few jars of Aunt Bessie’s pickled beets in your pantry, shoved way to the back so that you don’t have to eat them? Why not ask the Lord what those impurities are that are keeping you from all that He has for you?  Why not get rid of a root of bitterness and eat a beetroot instead?

     The Lord works best with a clean heart.  Actually He continually offers the cleansing we need so that wholeness can come.  Is there anyone who would not want to have their adversaries removed?  Has your adversary been your temper, or your doubts, or your irritability and impatience?  Are you harboring unforgiveness? Wouldn’t life be more wonderful without them? Most assuredly.

     When you go to the grocery store next time why not pick up a jar of pickled beets?  Place them in a prominent place (not at the back of the shelf), where you are continually reminded of the cleansing power of God that removes your adversaries.

Power Thought:

Is it time for a little spring cleaning and cleansing?

Copyright © 2014, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work.