Sunday Writing...7-7-19..."SEEDS"

Good morning!

Today's writing is  entitled "SEEDS" and talks about sowing them.  This time I was going to write about something without following the lectionary, but what I chose turned out to fit right in with the second lesson for the day!  God moves in mysterious ways, indeed.

Blessings,
Jan Andersen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's Devotional: 

"SEEDS"

by

Jan Andersen

Crop farmers need a lot of faith.  They have to make sure the soil has the right nutrients and that the seed they buy is good.  They have to trust that the seed is not contaminated with unwanted chemicals or foreign seeds.  The soil must be properly prepared before they plant their seeds.  They have to have confidence in their machinery, or in the people who keep it in working order.  Then once everything is in the ground, they must have faith in having the right weather at the right time so their seed can take root, grow, and produce a crop.  Tending to the crop until it has fully matured takes much time and patience.  Then they must still have the right conditions at the appropriate time for the harvest to be done.  Finally, they have to believe that it is all worth it in the end to start all over again for the next season.  Even when everything seems to be in order and all the conditions appear to be right, some of the seeds may fail to produce as expected.  Knowing that it is God who brings all these things together and placing trust in Him to bring it all to fruition is a demonstration of faith in Him.

Someone once said,  “You can count the seeds in one apple, but you can’t count the apples in one seed.”  When you cut open an apple, you can see how many seeds are in it.  If you plant one of those seeds, it could eventually grow into a tree that produces fruit.  There is no way to know how many apples will grow on that tree.  On top of that, if those apples have seeds that later grow into fruitful trees, the number of apples produced could go on and on, all from that one initial seed.  Only God really knows “how many apples are in one seed.”

The same can be said about sowing seeds of faith.  We may witness to others through our words and actions and know how many of those seeds we have spread, but sometimes we don’t get to see the fruits of that work.  So often it takes multiple people and witnessing moments to share with one person before a seed takes hold.  We only scatter the seed on the surface, and it is the Holy Spirit who plants faith in their hearts.  Others may come along to water and cultivate that faith to help it grow.  Circumstances in that person’s life may be like storms, and either they hold onto that planted faith or they let it be washed away.  If that faith is neglected, it can wither and die.  However, with the proper nurturing and growth their faith will mature.  They could then witness to others as well.  So we never can know how much those little seeds we spread will eventually produce.  We must simply remain faithful, like the farmers, and continue sowing year after year. 

We must also be careful that the seed we sow is good seed.  If we indulge in improper words and actions to please ourselves instead of pleasing God, then it will lead to destruction for ourselves as well as others.  Bad seeds yield bad crops.  So we must always be vigilant in living Spirit-led lives.  Though we are not perfect, God is merciful.  He forgives those who believe in Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and truly try to turn away from destructive ways.  Sowing good seed is evidence of faith, and it is through faith that we are saved.

Galatians 6:7-10 NIV  Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for planting the seed of faith in our hearts and helping it take root and grow.  Help us not to reject that faith but to keep it strong and share it with others, sowing seeds of good to all people.  May the seeds produce a great harvest in the end.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Song:

SHARE YOUR FAITH

Gift of Praise Kids

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries

Blog Writers

Sandy Billingham, Karen Bennett, 

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  

Bre Miller, Betty Espindola,  Lynda Kinnard

Amie Spruiell, Debbie Rodriguez, Carol Steficek,

Jan Andersen and Corinne Mustafa