SEEDS – DEVOTIONAL
Howdy Friends! “See that little ol’ patch of clover spreadin’ out over there alongside the fence?” Grandpop asked the girl. “Would ya have a look at all them pretty purpley flowers!”
They had been sitting on the empty hay wagon, “Just ta watch the sun set,” Grandpop said. And talking about about subjects in as wide a rang as the evening sky they’d been admiring. The girl as full of questions as Grandpop could keep up with answers. Every now and then, Kitty, the barn cat would hop up and join them for a question or two.
The girl had wondered what it is that makes things happen the way they do, and so different, “for some than others,” she asked.
“One day this spring I found this little ol’ pack of clover seeds. I couldn’t even remember why I had ‘em. But I decided I’d like to see ‘em grow, get all green and sprout little cones of flowers, just like they’re doin’ right now.” Grandpop said. “So, I went over there and mixed up that fine dirt, and I worked those seeds into the soft earth.”
“They are pretty,” She said.
Grandpop bust out a grin as wide as his cheeks would allow. “Yeah, they are. And I’d been real careful to try and pick just the right spot for ‘em.”
“Why’s that?”
“Aw, well, for things to grow, and prosper, a number of things matter.” Grandpop told her. “That little ol’ patch is nice dirt, no rocks to starve ‘em out or weeds to choke them out once they get going.”
“Once they get going?” The girl asked.
“Yes Ma‘am. That’s important. Sometimes a good pack of seeds will fall on hard ground, and never get a start. Then sometimes those seeds can find themselves in pretty good ground, but just when it seems all is going great, almost ready to burst out blooms, nasty ol’ weeds come and choke the life right out of ‘em. And then their glory never gets told. It’s a sad thing. But if everything is right, and a feller keeps at it and minds those weeds, well, then the beauty of it all comes to full bloom.”
They walked over to the clover patch. The girl plucked a few flowers. “There ya go!” Beamed Grandpop. “The fruit of the labor. Good firm soil, stickin’ with it when trouble comes, and then the good of it comes along.” He chuckled a little. “Well maybe with a little effort.”
On the way back toward the house Grandpop said, “Jesus told us a story about seeds in dirt, rock and weeds. Maybe we’ll have a look right after supper.”
~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
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Bible Verse – Luke 8:4-15 – 4And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
