God’s creation is truly amazing. According to Genesis, we read of God’s creative genius:
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:11–12
Seeds are a tiny power packed mystery of life. Every living thing in creation has the capacity to reproduce itself with a seed.
“If one were to cut open even the tiniest seed, and examine the interior, you would find the beginning of a plant – a couple of leaf-like parts and a root – along with some substance that it can feed upon when the time is right to germinate. What happens after a seed is created can be hit or miss, however, as the potential new plant must fend for itself – no nurturing womb or mother to tend a clutch of fertilized eggs in a nest. No, seeds fall to the ground, blow in the wind, affix themselves to passing animals, or are eaten right off the plant.” Linda Balek, Land Conservatory
At the core of each seed is a spark of life … a hard shell that protects its precious cargo until the conditions are right to come out. Under the right conditions, most all seeds can lay dormant for a year or two with no problem and some have been known to lay dormant for thousands of years, such as the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L., of which an estimated 2000-year-old seed was germinated in 2005.
It is no wonder that Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God in terms of sowing seeds …
And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3–9
Of course, Jesus had to explain it to the disciples …
“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:18–23
There were other places that Jesus used seeds to explain this beautiful message of life in the Kingdom. We sow the seeds of the Gospel, and those seeds fall on the soil of a person’s life and when that seed finally germinates, it brings forth a life that flourishes. The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:23-25 … “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The seed that you and I sow … and are called to sow … are the seeds of the Gospel, where there is a spark of life ready to transform the one who hears and understands. Like any seed, some sow, some water, and some reap. But we all share in the fruit of the Gospel … life eternal with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spend a few moments thanking the Lord for the gift of the seed. Hold onto this gift which has been given so tenderly as a treasure. There is dignity and value and worth in every single seed, especially when it represents the Gospel of Lord. Now think about when and who sowed the seeds of the Gospel into your life …give thanks for their faithfulness. To whom and where are you sowing Gospel seeds? Stop and pray right now that those seeks will take root in good soil and bear an imperishable fruit for eternity.
– Pastor Jerry