BLOWING IN THE WIND

Some of us may be suffering from allergies this time of year, but imagine if seeds did not blow in the wind to find new places to take root. May we carriers of the seed of God’s Word spread as if by wind, to God’s perfect places.

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES        by Sally Bair

Seed planting time

Garden soil is about ready to accept our seeds to take root for another year’s harvest. Since I help my neighbor with his vegetable garden, I’ve been shopping for new seeds to add to last year’s supply. Some leftover seed packages are now years old. Surprisingly, the old seeds I planted last year all came up.

Seeds are interesting. Old or new, they contain life and strength. In fact, their resulting plants are powerful enough to push upward through the tiniest cracks in rocks. Some seeds take longer to produce fruit and, of course, we know the more seeds planted, the larger the harvest.

All these facts point to spiritual lessons. Jesus explained in a parable that “The seed is the Word of God.” (Luke 8:11) Like a seed planted in soil, it can be planted in our hearts to bear the fruit of God’s Spirit: “… love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

His Word is alive and powerful, but it may take time to produce fruit. One person may be open to accept God’s Word at first hearing, while someone harboring the hard shell of bitterness or unbelief may not be open to it until much later.

Those who plant seeds need be concerned only with the planting. Others may water and still others may weed.

We plant God’s Word in our hearts and the hearts of others by living it. And when our God-inspired actions are matched with His words of life, the seed takes root and begins to grow in the lives of those who hear. Salvation and victory over sin comes through the Word of God.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?”  (Romans 10:14)

As followers of Christ, we have the privilege of planting His Word for His kingdom. I knew a woman who never missed an opportunity to share God’s Word with others. No matter whom she met, she ended her conversation with “Jesus loves you.”

These three simple words, wrapped around God’s truth, can take root in the hearts of broken or helpless people and transform their lives. What seeds are you planting today?

Lord, thank You for Your life-giving, fruit-producing Word. Help us to use it consistently as we plant it into the soil of hearts that need it as much as we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.