Living in the Spirit
June 13, 2015
Scripture Reading: Mark 4:26-34
He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’ –Mark 4:26-29
The insidious nature of evil is recognized. It creeps in slyly yet it can eventually overcome its prey in harmful, damaging, or destructive ways. In this parable Jesus describes the kingdom of God as guileless, which sounds terribly fragile, frail even. But then, of course, there is nothing stronger than love.
I grew up on a farm. My family was dependent on those planted seeds growing and producing food for our table and to feed our animals. Farming is a career steeped in faith. For five or so years Oklahoma has been plagued by drought. This spring crops were ruined by floods, but at the next time of planting the seeds will be sown to start the cycle again. Seeds are not planted out of cunning but out of perseverance. The lesson of the seed is one of faith but more importantly one of love.
The writer of the book of Hebrews put it this way: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3) These verses are followed by a short history of God among God’s people being faithful in love even when promised outcomes are not in their lifetime.
God’s people are called to plant seeds of love that do not harm and are not destructive but persevere throughout history to re-form the world into a place lacking evil.
Prayer: Lord, make us all sowers of the seeds of love. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.