Scripture
I tell you the truth, 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.
~John 12:24, NLT
Quote
Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.
~C.S. Lewis
I think I got the idea from Lewis; I don’t remember for sure but for years I have used a seed to illustrate the illusion of physical death. Things that appear dead are not always dead and a seed is the perfect example. It is an inanimate object that we keep in a bag, even a deep freezer until planting time. The miracle of the seed is once it is wed with the soil and gets the necessary sunlight and moisture, the life within the seed breaks out in a sprout and before long, you have a plant, eventually a bloom and then fruit. There is unbelievable potential in a seed. It has its own DNA. What that seed will become is programed within its DNA. To unlock its potential, we have to remove it from the bag, plant it is good soil and wait for the miracle. This is probably why so many people love to farm. In my opinion, next to preaching the gospel, farming is the ultimate vocation. The problem these days is that poor people can’t afford to farm.
There is more than one lesson in the seed. The first lesson is in regards to stewardship. You can’t expect a harvest if you leave the seed in a sack, in the barn or freezer. If you want to be fruitful and increase your seed, you have to plant it. So your life is a type of seed. Until you are willing to die to self and wed yourself to Christ, you will not reach your potential. Selfishness results in the loss of everything. There is no Hebrew verb for ‘have’. Possession is an illusion. We talked about this Sunday night is small groups. People who attempt to cling, to possess will lose everything. Everything belongs to God and that means we owe nothing.
But not only is YOUR LIFE seed, the blessed and inspired WORD OF GOD is seed. Every word is inspired and latent with miracle power. Each word has the potential to produce life, growth and fruitfulness. In other words, every word and verse is a potential miracle. Job said to the LORD is Job 40:4, “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.” If Job felt insignificant, don’t you know that you and I will also feel our weakness and insignificance. I know I feel my wretchedness daily but the thing that keeps me going is the WORD OF GOD. There is a lot wrong with me but there is nothing wrong with the WORD OF GOD: it is precious seed, perfect seed and productive seed. I was thinking this morning about the Reforms who do not give invitations. A little voice said to me, “You may as well not give one because no one ever responds.” That is true; there is little response to my preaching but my faith is in the seed I plant. Isaiah 55:10-11 comes to mind: “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” I am sure that HIS word will produce a harvest some day. There is a lot more I could say but this is enough for the day.
EXTRA
I don’t know what it is about Addison but they are always bigger and faster than we are: we got drummed last night. They beat us like a red headed step child and the heat was awful. Between the heat, the wasps and the score, it was a tough night for the Hawks. Ryder and Ty play football, Josie plays Volleyball and Mylee is running CROSS COUNTRY like her grand dad. I am proud of all of them but especially Mylee. I am praying that she doesn’t quit; she ran 2 miles yesterday and was so sore she could barely walk. Cross Country does not draw fans. I was on the 69-70 Calhoun Cross Country team that went undefeated for two straight years and we never had one fan. No, not even a parent but God willing I will be there for Mylee. Just pray that she doesn’t quit.