“Who do you blame when the seeds you planted do not break through the ground?” I asked Ed, my old neighbour in Saskatchewan.
“You are at blame when the seeds you planted don’t come up,” he answered. “You probably planted your seeds too deep or not deep enough. Maybe, you planted in conditions that were not suitable for their germination. Was it too wet or dry or too cold,” Ed asked.
I told Ed that it is a mystery to me that seeds from dandelions can plant themselves all over and in all kinds of soil with great success, while garden seeds planted by me can be no-shows or hit and miss in their growth. Seeds are potent embryos ready to grow when added to the soil in the right way and at the right time. This year I messed up when planting my garden seeds.
Yearly seeding and harvesting challenge us, and leave us humble and guessing what will happen to our effort and input.
Jesus spoke about seeds growing in three parables. The one story reminds us seeds planted will produce most when planted in good soil. Seeds cannot penetrate a hard, beaten-down soil and are blown away or eaten by birds. Thin, rocky soil allows for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow, but they cannot develop deep roots, and they wither and die in the sun. Seeds falling on thorny soil get chocked out by the thorns. Seeds falling on good earth, thrive and produce excellent yields or crops.
In another story, Jesus speaks of the hidden power of the seed. The farmer plants the seed, but it is the seed that sprouts and grows producing first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. The farmer can encourage the growth of the seeds with weed control, fertilizer and moisture, but the seed grows itself.
In another story, Jesus speaks of the power of a tiny seed like a mustard seed to produce a plant big enough to put out branches large enough for birds to make nests in them.
Jesus says his word is like the seed that may not penetrate the hard hearts of some people, but will grow up in hearts of people with thin soil. When the heat of opposition or tribulation comes, they fall away from God’s word because it is without deep roots in their hearts. The word of God can get choked out of the hearts of people because the cares, concerns, riches and pleasures of life smother the word of God. When God’s word falls on good soil, it will spring up and thrive and produce great harvests.
God’s word grows in the soil of our hearts. Hard, beaten-down hearts, thin-soiled hearts and hearts full of thorns can be changed to good soil if we ask God to change our hearts. May God change our hearts to good soil to grow His word. Here are the words of a praise sung as a prayer: “Change my heart Oh God. Make it ever true. Change my heart Oh God. May it be like You. You are the Potter. I am the clay. Mould me and make me. This is what I pray.”
