The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 11 June 2015 "God Pause Daily Devotion" Scripture: Mark 4:26 And he said, “The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Nights he sleeps, days he’s awake; and meanwhile the seeds sprout and grow — how, he doesn’t know. 28 By itself the soil produces a crop — first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head. 29 But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it’s harvest-time.”
Plants and their growth are surely mysterious and miraculous. I remember as a child watching nature programming showing in time-lapse photography growing plants that seemed to come out of nowhere. The seeds are buried and abandoned in the earth. Then at just the right time life bursts forth and the plant pushes out of the earth—oxygen, beauty, potential for more life—food for a hungry world.
30 Yeshua also said, “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God? What illustration should we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field; 32 but after it has been planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants, with such big branches that the birds flying about can build nests in its shade.”
33 With many parables like these he spoke the message to them, to the extent that they were capable of hearing it. 34 He did not say a thing to them without using a parable; when he was alone with his own talmidim he explained everything to them.[Complete Jewish Bible]
Faith and its growth are surely miraculous and mysterious as well. Seeds are scattered and seemingly buried—Word and sacrament, prayers, testimony, family traditions, church community traditions. Sometimes the soil seems deep, dead or inhospitable. But after the appointed time—maybe like the three days after that dark Friday, maybe according to a much different time frame after a baptism or other faith initiation—life bursts forth. That new life brings grain or fruit or testimony offering abundant life to others.
God, give us patience and hope. Your Word does what it is sent forth to do. Your seeds bring about faith and life as well. Thank you for folding us into the mystery and the miracle of your planting. Amen.
Karl Hester
Pastor, Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Salem, Ore.
Master of Divinity , 2001
Mark 4:26 He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,
27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.
28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?
31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.[New Revised Standard Version]
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