Seed and Soil

This morning I woke around 4:30 am tossing and turning. I tried cuddling up with Phil in hopes to gain some comfort and return to sleep, but already my mind was processing thoughts as if it had two cups of coffee. I thought of my friend back in Asheville, Kelly; she shares with me these bouts of insomnia. She told me she believed these sleepless nights were God's way of having time with her--not her and her family, or homeschool group, or a million others things we tend to surround ourselves with, simply her.

I pulled the comforter back and quietly made my way to the kitchen counter. I've been reading through the Gospel of Mark the last couple of days.

Ch 4 vs 26-And He was saying "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows--how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." Thanks be to God for His word and His Spirit!

I love the image we see here. I envision a farmer coming in from the fields around dusk. He returns home satisfied and content with his days' work. He finds rest during the night and trusts that in the day(s) to come, there will be fruit from his labor. How does a plant grow? I've studied biology and life sciences for years now. I can tell you the process over and over again, but the miracle remains--the seed sprouts, breaks through the soil, and slowly reaches towards the sky. Outside of the seed being planted, the farmer does nothing. He doesn't control the weather--good or bad conditions--he does not 'weed' for fear of 'weeding' the actual plants.

No, he waits. When the plants reach maturation, he brings in the harvest with joy.

Friends, remember that our Lord spoke to the crowds in parables. He explained the parables to his followers and disciples saying "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those outside get everything in parables, so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven."

See, hear, and understand. Return and be forgiven.