Seed Faith

I planted part of my vegetable garden this week. Planting outdoors won't be kosher until June or so.

I'm an on again, off again kind of gardener. A few years ago I tried a "tire garden." The weeds grew exceptionally well between the tires, but what I planted in the tires must have been delicious, as the deer and local vegan wildlife devoured everything as it sprouted.

This year I'm "putting my hand to the plow" once again. Not in the tires this time, back in the dirt.

Whenever I sit down with dirt and seeds, whether inside or outside, I'm awed by the relationship between seeds, planting, and faith.

Seeds are silly looking. They don't resemble their fruit in any way. They are dry and tiny. Just putting them in the dirt and believing they will produce something -- anything -- is an act of faith.

37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body 1 Cor 15:37-38 (from New International Version)

Maybe that's why Jesus spent so much time talking about seeds and planting and growing things. The analogy provides a perfect picture of what it means to believe and receive from God.

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." Luke 8:11-15 NKJV

I'm an on again, off again kind of gardener, but planting never fails to remind me of the apparent craziness of faith in God and His word. I drop the bean, or the beet, or the lettuce seed into the dirt, bury it, and wait. And wait, and wait some more. Even when the first sprouts emerge from the soil, they still look nothing like the fruit which I seek. I keep waiting, and if I do my part, and circumstances cooperate, eventually those seeds will bring forth more of their own kind.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Gal 6:7-10 (from New International Version)

What have you sown toward the spirit recently? Have you seen that seed bear fruit yet?