Each day as I come to the church, I drive by a lovely field of corn - at least I think it's corn, city slicker that I am. Each day the plants are a bit taller and soon, I expect, I will see the stalks begin to form.
I am so thankful that our local farmers tend the fields, plant the crops and harvest for all to share. At the same time, I always think of the wonderful story that Jesus told his listeners about a farmer who sowed his seeds in the field.
The sower took the vibrant seeds and scattered with wild abandon and abundance. The seeds went everywhere. Some of the seeds fell on fertile ground and produced an enormous crop, while other seeds didn't find suitable ground and were choked or burnt.
Jesus explained that the seeds in the story were God's Word of life and love, the soil was the attitude of my heart and the clincher was that the "sower," or farmer, was God.
As I drive by the field, I know some seed just doesn't take root, and the same can be said of God's word in my heart - sometimes I choose my own way rather than the life-giving way of God's path, and I end up doing what "I ought not to do" as Paul writes in Romans. But here's the good news, sometimes I follow God's path and God's word takes root and grows abundantly.
May you have a wonderful summer, consider what kind of ground you may be and take heart in the lavish love of God who plants seeds of life.
