Monday, December 1
Scripture:“He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree”
-Matthew 13:31-32
Thoughts:This week is the week we plant in hope. Our small hopes and expectations, our hope against all hope, is like a tiny seed. Jesus came to earth like a tiny seed in the form we all take, a newborn baby. Helpless, not yet matured or fully formed, yet with all the promise of the man. Our hopes and expectations in God’s promises might not be things we fully understand.
In fact, we may not understand at all, but we take these hopes like little tiny seeds, plant them inside our hearts and allow God to bring forth the fruit he has in mind.
There are all sorts of seeds in the world, and each of these seeds reproduces after it’s own kind. Some seeds we determinedly plant according to plans, but some appear out of “nowhere”, and we don’t know they are there until they sprout. Some take a long time to sprout and grow, while others, well, it seems they grow up overnight. But good seeds in good ground will give us a harvest we can use. We can determine this week to plant seeds of kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness, love. What can you plant in another’s life this week that is born of your kindness towards them?
Grow the kingdom of God in your life: choose someone to pray for each day during this week. Faithfully water that prayer everyday before God’s presence. Make this your week of planting seeds of hope for them.
Read the Mustard Seed Story.
Activity:
Seeds are often quite beautiful. Buy a bag of dried soup beans, or lentils, make a cardboard picture frame shape or use an inexpensive picture frame. With glue, decorate the frame with your assorted colored beans. Directions, for picture frames, here. If you buy enough dried bean soup – it makes a yummy evening meal.
- there are many sorts of seeds
- seeds have life in them
- that life starts in a small compact package
- those tiny seeds can grow into large, longlived plants
- they can provide good things for many others
- your small acts and prayers are like seeds you are planting
