Sunday, 12 July 2020

Thought for the day - Sunday 12 July


Thought for the Day – Sunday 12th July
‘That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns,
which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”’ (Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23)

The parable of the sower – such a familiar passage to us – so here is a re-telling of it from Spill the Beans:

God’s broadcast to the world: “I love you!”
People heard, but many did not understand.
“What is love? What does it look like? Who will help us understand?”
No one would help them understand and so they forgot God’s message.

God’s broadcast to the world: “I love you!”
People heard.
Some were helped in their understanding.
“Love? Now I see it - patient, kind and good! Where can we go to see more of it?”
But no one invited them into community where they could belong and put down roots and so they forgot God’s message.

God’s broadcast to the world: “I love you!”
People heard.
Some were helped in their understanding and invited into community where they began to feel they belonged and could put down roots.
But no one listened to their deep questions about security and worth.
“How can we trust in love and community when the world promises safety in wealth and soothes our anxieties with possessions?”
And so they forgot God’s message.

God’s broadcast to the world: “I love you!”
People heard.
Some were helped in their understanding and invited into community where they began to feel they belonged and could put down roots.
Their deep questions about security and worth were listened to and they found courage to trust in love and community even when the world promised safety in wealth and soothed anxieties with possessions.
But no one asked much of their time and their talents and there was no fruit from the seeds God had planted within them.

Let us take a moment to think about this reflection and that sowing of seeds of love – for someone at some time must have sown the seeds of love in you!

So, in relation to your own life think on who has helped you to understand who God is and what he is like – who has helped you to become rooted in a community of faith where you know you belong – who has helped you to wrestle with those big questions of what you value and how you find security and worth in God – who has helped you to bear the fruits of love in your life.

Now having thought about who and how you were influenced in your life and the manner of that influence why not think now about what you could do yourself to sow those seeds of love and to get alongside others and help them in their understanding, in their rootedness, in the exploring of their values and their worth and their bearing of fruit.

For you see, we today still have seeds of love to sow!

We are the sowers of the good news that God’s love is for everyone; that God cares for everyone; that his grace and love are overflowing; that his compassion is abundant; that he wants justice for all and no one should be discriminated against; that his provision is for all and so no-one should be hungry or thirsty; that his welcome is for all meaning no-one is excluded; that his comfort is for all, that his hope is for all.

So many seeds for us to sow and we should be sowing those seeds far and wide and praying they bear fruit!

Way back in 1989 a group called ‘Tears for Fears’ released a song called ‘Sowing the seeds of love’ – some of you may remember it - why not listen to it on You Tube and then be inspired to go and sow,
go and scatter, go and spread the Word of God in the world for the Word of God is a song of love for all.

Prayer

Loving God,
You lavish your love upon us and all people: with no thought as to whether we deserve it or not and no guarantee that it will be returned. You give for that is what you do. You love for that is who you are. May we, your children, endeavour to be more like you. Give us courage and a boldness in our lives and in our actions to cast caution to the wind and graciously and abundantly sow those seeds of love for you, give us patience to wait for the harvest to come and faithfulness to pray continually for that harvest. In Jesus name we pray. Amen



No comments:

Post a Comment