Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 22, 2022
Read Mark 4:30-34
30 He continued, “What’s a good image for God’s kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it? 31 Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it’s the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; 32 but when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he continued to give them the word, as much as they were able to hear. 34 He spoke to them only in parables, then explained everything to his disciples when he was alone with them.
Good Morning, Scatter seeds of God’s love wherever you go!
Jesus told many parables to those who gathered. He spoke about things of which they could understand like sheep and seeds. He used stories of seeds to teach several lessons to his followers. The first parable with seeds is the one where the farmer scatters the seeds. Some fall on the path, some in the rocks, some in shallow soil, some among the thorns, and finally some in fertile soil The sees that fall on fertile soil grow and multiply. The sharing of God’s word falls on many ears, but only those who are ready to hear and accept the message will grow into faithful followers.
In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus uses seeds to explain that even the least can become the greatest. He speaks of how this tiny seed grows into this huge plant that can provide shade and support to other creatures. When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit is implanted in us so that we can grow into believers with a strong faith as we work to share the word with others.
I resonate with the idea of seeds. When we plan to plant seeds, we must first prepare the soil so that it is ready to accept the seeds. Soil without nutrients is dead and cannot support new life. Once the soil is ready, we plant the seeds. The germination rate of different seeds has always fascinated me. We must also consider the depth at which the seed should be planted, as well as, the temperature of the soil. All of these factors are important to seed sprouting. Once the seedling immerges then the real work begins! Seedlings without care wither and die.
Our lives as new Christians resemble this planting and emergence of a seedling. We are prepared by seeing the example of Christian life by those who surround us. We join with others in church or other gatherings where the Word is being proclaimed. The seeds are planted as we listen, we sing, and we begin to consider what it means to follow Christ. Because we each have our own needs and background experiences, some sprout quickly while others take more time. Some of us are ready to stretch and extend our roots deeply while others need more time to warm up to the message. Just like the planting of seeds, sowing is just the beginning of the process. New seedlings must be nurtured and cared for or they with wither and die when exposed to the evil that moves around us. With nourishment, these new seedlings will grow strong and after time begin to bear fruit. Whether you bear fruit in that first growing season, or in the seasons that follow, all are welcome in the fellowship of believers.
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. We love You. Without your love and guidance, we would wither and die like the seeds that fall against the rocks. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: The kingdom of God lives in me.
Don’t forget to add nourishment! Pastor Liz
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