Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Matthew 13:1-23

In the first twelve chapters of Matthew’s Gospel Jesus has been spending most of his time in public places proclaiming the coming of God’s Kingdom. Now Jesus shifts focus a bit and begin teaching those who are responding to his invitation to come and live under the reign of God.

In this first parable Jesus confirms our experiences. We have offered children’s ministries in various shapes, sizes and forms; we have offered VBS; we have held block parties and gone door to door throughout our neighborhoods; we have offered different types of worship services, programs, and dinners because we want to connect with our community and share with them the Good News of Jesus. Yet, there are fewer now than when we first began, and we are getting weary.

In this story Jesus tells some seeds don’t sprout, some sprout a little, others sprout more and then fade away. But some seeds take root and produce a harvest beyond anything the sower expected. In this story that Jesus tells all eyes are on the sower, not the harvest. The sower is extravagant, so incredibly extravagant, sowing seeds here, there and everywhere. Such is the extraordinary nature of God’s grace.

As I am enjoying these cool mountain mornings on my vacation, I am being renewed in body and spirit. I can sense God’s filling my cup so I can return home and sow God’s grace like there is no tomorrow, because there most assuredly is a tomorrow, and it belongs to my Heavenly Father who can accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

What does today’s reading 
reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do 
or remember about this passage.
Does God want you to change 
anything in your life? 

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