Mark 4:26-29 (The Message)
"Then Jesus said, 'God's kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows - he has no idea how it happens. the earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps - harvest time!"
Jesus was telling stories to people who farmed, who understood seeds! They knew the mystery of a nurtured kernal that grows to maturity. The seeds of the Kingdom of Heaven have been scattered! But sometimes we are just like the people of Jesus' time: waiting for some cataclysmic day of rapture, when all along God has been working through our ordinary lives - working underground to nurture and grow his Kingdom. At times we may think God is absent, but we just can't see all the tiny sprouts ready to emerge.
What is our missional responsibility as farmers of the seed? How can we assist God in the nurture of the harvest? Have we allowed God to fully nurture ourselves? Can we scatter more seed? Care for the sprouts? Trust the Master Gardener in his plan? Yes, yes, and yes!
I've been thinking of the "Seed of Love". We are called to love our God with our whole mind, body and heart (soul). We are called to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We are called to love strangers and love our enemy.
ReplyDeleteSometime ago I was giving a moment for mission and my wife was bringing in our youngest grandchild from the nursery, as my wife walked past the lecture where I was standing, my granddaughter spotted me and gave a squeal for me to hold her. It was easier for me to scoop her up and continue with the moment for mission than letting her continue to fuss. Later during fellowship folks commented on how obvious it was that I dearly loved this grandchild.
The other night I had a dream of this incident and a voice asked a question! Can you love your enemy as you love your grandchild? What a question!! Can I love my enemy so that love radiates from me, so that love radiates from my posture, my physical stance and presence, from the way I would look at my enemy, from the way I would speak of and to my enemy, so that my love is glaringly obvious. Can I love my enemy like I love my grandchild, my children, my wife, my family and friends? Maybe not yet but by loving my God like I love my family I can grow into loving God because He loves me just like I love this grandchild. I desire to love like Jesus. God's power is LOVE. This seed of love is planted in each of us, sometimes the hardest work we do as Christians is accepting Gods good work in ourselves even though we can't see the seed growing.