He told them many things in [a]parables, saying, “Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field]; 4 and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out. 8 Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty. 9 He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.”
Matthew 13:3-9 AMP
“Listen, you lovers of God! Hate evil,
for God can keep you from wrong
and protect you from the power of wickedness.
For he sows seeds of light within his devoted lovers,
and seeds of joy burst forth for the lovers of God!
So be glad and continue to give him thanks,
for God’s holiness is seen in everything he does.”
Psalms 97:10-12 TPT “What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways!
He won’t walk in step with the wicked,
nor share the sinner’s way,
nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.
His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,”
meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.
He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree
planted by God’s design,
deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss,
bearing fruit in every season of life.
He is never dry, never fainting,
ever blessed, ever prosperous.”
Psalms 1:1-3 TPT
I have a lot for which to give thanks. When the lockdowns happened, I started to make changes rather than sitting around in fear. I began to take ownership of my life and my journey which led to a process of getting healthy. I worked on what I brought into my body and how I worked my body which led to a better diet, a healthier weight, and a better physical form. When I started eating better, I started thinking better about the world around me and my role within that world. I began looking at solutions to problems rather than complaints and rescue. And as my body and mind get healthier, there remained the final part of getting a healthier soul. And that took the longest time. There were so many misunderstandings I had to unlearn. Just like government education, I found that a lot of church education was not deeply rooted enough in the Word. And that I had really never read the entirety of The Bible in context. I had a story here and there and some parables and this and that and warnings BUT no real understanding of the book from cover to cover. I have an immensely better understanding of God from my studies of the past fourteen days than I ever did in fourteen years of attending Sunday School. And I feel like I am not alone in that journey. There is so much I left for others to explain. So much I left for others to do. So much that I should have been doing by myself.
There was so much potential in me to be something more and I wasted that potential for years in getting by in the world of humanity. Looking too deeply always leads to some frightening truths and some scary revelations about yourself. So, I was rather shallow and cursory in my journey. I was like the seed on the rocks. Seed has all the potential to become something wonderful. A seed can become a plant that bears fruits and vegetables that can help feed folks and animals. A seed can become a great tree that provides shade and shelter. A seed is the potential to be a plant just like a fetus is the potential to be the image of God. And I had that potential to be an image bearer of the Almighty and I had wasted that potential for a time BUT I rediscovered that greatness, abundance, and joy. And that potential is not something that I will easily give away again. I am ready to burst forth and produce grain as the metaphors in today’s readings give as illustrations of what I can achieve when I embrace that potential. The body cannot live without the soul and the soul cannot live without God.
Do you feel like your seed is on the rocks? Is your life in the thorns? Or are you in good soil? Are you embracing your potential?
Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of God is now. Have the day you want. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for.