Hennie Symington

A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain … Mark 4:26-29

Jesus was fond of using metaphors relating to planting, fruit, harvesting, etc. to illustrate the workings of the kingdom. Those of us who are keen gardeners love to potter around the garden and fuss over the plants to watch them grow and despair if we see no growth. And those of us who are not such dedicated gardeners are often surprised at the plants that do grow in our gardens despite our neglect.

What about the kingdom? Does God really need us to grow his kingdom? What difference do we make in his kingdom? Sometimes we regret our lack of commitment, yet the crop grows without the farmer’s intervention which indicates that God accomplishes his purposes even when we are absent or unaware of what he’s doing. The goal is the ripened grain. At the proper time, the Word will bring forth its fruit, and the Lord of the harvest (Luke 10:2) will be glorified. The way God uses his Word to grow in the heart of an individual is mysterious and completely independent of human effort. May we be faithful in “sowing the seed,” praying for a harvest, and leaving the results to the Lord.

Prayer: God, you know what we are made of. You know that we could never bring your kingdom to pass through our own efforts. Yet you have made us part of that kingdom just because your love us. Amen.