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
Parables can be tricky. At first glance we think we know exactly what Jesus was going for but, like a jigsaw puzzle, we find a different outcome than we had planned.
Jesus uses the process of growing plants and shrubs in a number of his parables. He talks about seeds and harvest a lot. It is easy to jump to the conclusion that he is talking to us cultivating our faith, having faith, or allowing ourselves to be pruned by God, and any of those conclusions may be right. But for me, as I ponder these parables tonight and think about the process of growing something really wonderful—vegetables; a friendship; a child—I realize that Jesus may be trying to teach me about something else: patience.
None of these wonderful blessings can be grown quickly. They all need time to be nourished, protected and loved. God, in Christ Jesus, loves us into that beautiful harvest in His own time, not ours. We may want that home-grown strawberry, marriage proposal or baby right NOW, but God has God's own perfect schedule. When God's harvest is ready, we will stand in awe at the abundance of blessing provided for us.
Prayer
God, grow patience within us that we may appreciate the abundant harvest you bring forth. Amen.