“The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29
Dear friends,
This month, our Christian Explorers will be planting seeds and preparing their herb garden in front of Jonathan House for another season. Not only does this activity connect them to nature, but it provides a bountiful crop of metaphors for learning about our relationship with God and with each other.
Just think of all of Jesus’ seed parables. As in all of Jesus’ parables, there are many possible interpretations. Is Jesus the farmer? Or is it about God, who is responsible for the miraculous growth of the seeds? Or is it about us? Are we the ones to do the planting in this earthly garden? No, no…maybe we’re the seeds!
Simply…yes. These parables can mean all these things.
We can all take a lesson from getting our fingers deep into the warm dirt, planting and pruning, weeding and watering, and tending to ensure a fruitful harvest. Our world, our lives, are a garden, and God and Jesus are at work in them, as are we. We are both the seeds and the farmers, working alongside God to tend God’s creation. And isn’t it interesting that these metaphors are as powerful to us today as they were 2000 years ago!
The words of this hymn by John A. Dalles capture it all…
Come to tend God’s garden, seeds of hope to sow,
Planting fields of justice, watching mercy grow!
In an arid wasteland, spread a verdant health!
In a land of tumult, cultivate God’s peace!
As we tend God’s garden, from its furrows rise
Stems of fresh beginnings, stretching toward the skies!
Graciousness, our meadow, joyfulness, our root,
Unity, our foliage, righteousness, our fruit!
May God’s garden flourish, may our toil succeed,
May God bless our actions, every word and deed!
Serving Christ each season, with God’s diagram,
Charted by the Spirit, for the task at hand!
May all your seeds sprout and your garden be blessed,
Karen Nell