Isaiah 55:10-12 Gods Word Bible
Matthew 1-9, 18-23 The Message Bible
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Let us pray…
Creator God, you who make all things grow, we pray this day for your Spirit to be here with us as we hear your word. May your Spirit move within us, giving us the insight that we need to hear the word you have for us. May our hearts be good soil so that your word would grow and we would be ever closer to you. May we be rooted and grounded in your Word so that in times of trial we would remember the lessons we have learned and be emboldened to do your will not our own. Speak Lord…the soil of our hearts are thirsty for your word…amen.
Last year, Ray and I planted a vegetable garden in the back yard. We planted it so that we could grow vegetables and bring them over to the food pantry so that people could have fresh vegetables on their table. Man…it was hard work. We had to turn the soil, plant the seeds, weed the garden, water it, use miracle grow to help it grow. So many things we had to do and so much time it took up. I have a new appreciation for farmers now…
I don’t know how they do it…day after day they tend the farm, making sure everything is just right…if they don’t…there goes their livelihood. Their lives depend upon their being diligent as they tend their land. Weeds can come up and kill the good seeds that they have planted. If they don’t water it…it will wither and die.
You know…our spiritual life is a lot like that. If we don’t tend to it…if it is not watered by God’s Word…well…it too can wither and die. The weeds of life can come in and take over. The weeds can replace the good seed that was planted in us.
Jesus told a parable about just that type of thing happening. It is found in Matthew 13 verses 1-9 and 18-23. Listen to the parable and see if you too don’t see the analogy between the two…of a farmer who plants and the tending of our Spirit…(I am reading from the Message Bible this morning…)
We…our Spirits… well it’s like a garden in which the Word of God is planted. It takes time and energy to tend the soil. We need to be deliberate…we need to be intentional in feeding and watering that Spirit within us. Being Methodist I guess we could use the word methodical in the way we go about tending our soil…
But my question is this…why does the way God’s Word…the seed…vary so much? I don’t think it’s the seed…it is all the same word…it is what God uses and as we heard in the Isaiah passage this morning. It has to be the soil. But…and this is a big but…we shouldn’t judge others soil…we must not say that others soil is infertile… barren… fruitless…it is God’s work to make it grow. We are to spread our seeds…what we were given to share…to scatter our seed freely.
Shortly…we will continue to scatter our seed. We will be going to the backyard of the parsonage and plant yet another seed for God. We will be baptizing some of God’s children. As they grow in faith…it is our helping tend those seeds that will enable God to do His work.
As we prepare to scatter in the vineyard for God I…we…can’t help but stop and think…what kind of soil is there in our lives? What kind of environment are we creating for God’s seed? Are we open and inviting or are we being exclusive or inclusive in our scattering of God’s Word? Is our soil hard cement? Is our soil shallow? Are there weeds of the world that are crowding out the Word? Or, is our soil fertile ground in which God’s word is rooted and grounded…ever growing in the light of the Son and His Word? Only you can answer that question. But…let us continue to strive forward together as we are changed and shaped into the image of Christ to grow into who we are destined to be…gardeners…farmers…in the vineyard of God.
Amen.
edited October 22, 2015
To scatter our seeds freely – v2
edited October 22, 2015
We too are Sowers – v2
July 20, 2011
We too are Sowers
July 20, 2011
To scatter our seeds freely
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (The Message Bible)
A Harvest Story
The Parable of the Sower
The Meaning of the Harvest Story
Isaiah 55:10-11 (GOD’S
WORD Translation)
Psalm 90:1-2 (Gods WORD Translation)(Call
to Worship)
Worship Theme: “God’s word
is life-giving”
and sermon: “Soaking Up
the Word”
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
sermon
blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist
Church
Suncook, NH
July 10, 2011
Fifth Sunday of Pentecost
All of my
poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 39,720+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
No comments:
Post a Comment