April 26th, 20

APRIL 26,  SEED PEOPLE

Our readings today are I Samuel 1, Psalm 140, and Matthew 13.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

Jesus is telling stories about seeds and the miracle and mystery of new life.  Seeds are being thrown out on every imaginable kind of soil, not to waste the seed but because the miracle of life can take place in any kind of soil.  Life sure is a miracle!  There are so many things coming against life happening:  the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth,  the desire for other things, the thief that comes to plant weeds in the field. On and on, we see that when life takes root, it really is a miracle. There is so much coming against that seed.  

The disciples are playing a part in this story.  They’re seed people.  They are showing us the role of a seed person.  A seed person listens.  At the beginning of all these parables, Jesus stands up in a boat, out on the lake, and shouts out to the crowds,  “Listen!”  Ours is to listen to what he is saying.  And to do that we need to be near him.  Sometimes, when we hear him say things, we need to ask him questions, if we don’t understand.  His disciples were confused and asked him what things meant.  Seed people are to listen, draw close and ask.  Jesus, the good farmer, gives the secret to those who ask.  Sometimes, the answer is to be patient.  The farmer had to wait till the harvest was complete, to sort out the wheat from the weeds.  Sometimes God is purposely letting things progress as they are and he will sort it out.  Trust the Farmer.  He is inviting you into a secret and intimate circle.  The one thing that you can know and must remember is that you are loved.

Hidden in this story of the farmer going out to sow his seeds, is the story of the One seed, where it all began. John’s gospel says, …unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. (Jn 12:24)

That one seed that fell to the ground is Christ.  He did not abide alone.  No.  His death brought about the birth of many more seed people, many more sons and daughters.  And now that Farmer has a whole bag of seeds and he is casting it out into the fields.  Those seeds are falling on all kinds of soil because new life can begin in any kind of soil.  Some are bringing forth more fruit.  They are dying and the miracle of life is springing up.  Seeds are being cast out onto the soil and new life is multiplying out into the world, 30, 60, and even 100 times what is being sown. Lives are being changed, seed people are being born, dying and giving birth to new life.  We’ve been drawn into this miraculous harvest of God’s seed people coming to life.

Listen, draw yourself close, ask questions, and be patient when the answer is to be patient, while God is sorting it out.  Like Christ, offer your life in service, die to yourself, and in that death real life will spring up, not just for you but for others.

You are loved!