Mark 4:26-34 (NRSV)
Read Mark 4:26-34 on biblegateway.com
Verse 26He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, Verse 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. Verse 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. Verse 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
Verse 30He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? Verse 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; Verse 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
Verse 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; Verse 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
Devotion
Early spring is beautiful in the parish where I serve. No matter which of the six churches I drive to, I drive through farmland—rich, black dirt, tractors and trucks, planters and seed and little green sprouts. It is beautiful.
Starting in March, the farmers of the parish are gearing up to plant. They get anxious for April 11th to come so their crops will be insured and they can drop the first seeds into the ground. Seeing the excitement in their eyes and hearing their anxious talk of this year's crops makes me think of children waiting (im)patiently on Christmas Eve.
Jesus uses parables to relate real life to faith. He did it with the disciples two thousand years ago and he still does it with the disciples in the parish I serve. He meets them where they are at—out there in the field, in the grain bin, in the tractor. There, he teaches them about the seeds of faith that God has planted in their hearts, how he has nurtured their growth and will bring in a harvest of abundance in their lives, just as they plant and nurture the seeds of their fields in hopes of an abundant harvest.
Prayer
Jesus, speak your word to us...as much as we can understand. Amen.