Sowing Seeds

I was looking at the GBOD/worship site, reading about the lectionary readings for the week. Consider these two:

• Acts 7:55-60 -- The Stoning of Stephen.
• John 14:1-14 -- part of Jesus' farewell discourse

The GBOD material points out that both of these passages speak to the idea of sowing seeds. No one, at the time of Jesus' talk with the disciples on the evening of the last supper, could have predicted the effect of the crucifixion (and later resurrection) on the disciples. They would be changed -- they would be reborn, and from that, the church begun. Jesus was sowing seeds.

Consider the stoning of Stephen. Those who threw the stones laid their coats at the feet of Saul. I wonder what effect Stephen's speech and stoning had on Saul. Did Stephen sow seeds?

I was privileged to be in the chapel on Saturday to pray for Steve before and after his Emmaus talk. During that time, I was thinking about how Steve and the other members of the team were sowing seeds in the hearts and minds of the pilgrims. Who knows what will grow from these seeds of transformation. I pray God nurtures the seeds and that the pilgrims will allow them to grow.

Often, we do not know and will never know the fruit of the seeds that we plant. We aren't called to predict that kind of thing. We are just called to sometimes plant, sometimes water and sometimes reap. It is a blessing indeed to see the work of God which results from our obedience to him.

Images: Dogwood just blooming in Ashland at the church where the walk was held.