God has so arranged it that the natural and spiritual work parallel to each other. With the people of Israel being very familiar with the process of agriculture and livestock, Jesus often used parables from these to teach the spiritual truths of the kingdom of God. In Mark 4:26-29 He speaks of one scattering or sowing seed on the ground; there is a certain mystery about how that little dry looking seed when planted in the soil receives the moisture from the rain and the warmth from the sun provided by God’s hand, bursts forth into “new life”, grows and develops into a mature harvest while the farmer continues his daily activities. I see two trends of thought that we can take home from this parable. The first is that we like the ground receive the seed of the word of God and by His provision grow and mature becoming ready for the harvest which is eternity in heaven with Him! The second is that we “as workers together with Him” 2 Corinthians 6:1 are entrusted with the seed to be sown, which another parable shows to be the word of God, see Luke 8:11, which by continually sowing guarantees there will be a harvest. In Isaiah 55:11 God says “My word…shall not return to Me void…” Even if a given seed appears not to sprout continue sowing. “In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good” Ecclesiastes 6:11. And remember sowing the seed is not only spoken words, but is also our attitudes and demeanor, our kindness and compassion, our enthusiasm and excitement about being God’s children and a part of His family! All too often our words are nullified by our attitude and behavior!
Growing seed
By Rose Hill
Our job is the seed to sow,
So scatter seed wherever you go.
Then God will surely make it grow,
And reap a great harvest we know.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.