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