Saturday, February 4, 2006
Mark 4:30-32 He was also saying, "How can we show what the kingdom of God is like, or what parable can we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. Although it is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, when it is planted it comes up and becomes larger than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that the birds in the sky can nest in its shade."
GOD GIVES THE INCREASE
When I plant a garden, I have little hope that it will amount to much. We've tried a couple times and each time get a few scraggly vegetables and not much else. I don't have a "green thumb" as they say. Because of my past experiences, I haven't even bothered to try again lately.
Sometimes we scatter the word of God with much the same attitude as I scatter seed in my garden -- with little hope of it ever turning into much. Or perhaps we fail to scatter it at all because of such thoughts.
Yet from the gospel of Christ scattered upon someone's heart the kingdom of God can come, grow, and flourish. A mature, Christian believer can develop out of the simple news of the cross. So do we stop preaching forgiveness because we feel it will do no good? Do we stop telling of "Him for us" because we feel it won't have any effect on anyone anyway? No, indeed! Look at Saul who became missionary Paul when the word and the Spirit came upon Him.
What an exciting thought as we carry the word to the nations -- that God can bring about amazing spiritual growth from very small beginnings!
