Kelly Day 0:08
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose of the Word of God. It's Tuesday, July 23 and it's the season of green and growing things, our spiritual lives included. This Summer, we are sitting at Jesus's feet and listening to his parables, stories that shed meeting on our lives. Today's reading is Luke 8, 1 through 8 - the parable of the sower.
Kelly Day 0:32
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
Kelly Day 1:42
The parable of the sower is pretty familiar to me, except for those first few verses. I always picture the 12 disciples of Jesus, but I don't always picture this group of women. Jesus' act of love had a profound impact on their lives and they followed him - even offering their own financial support. I'm guessing these women chose not to care about what others thought of them and cared more about following Christ, no matter the cost - pretty impressive. Which brings us to the actual parable. The crowd Jesus was speaking to would have understood the basics of farming. Different soil types yield different size crops. The hope is for a large crop, more than what was sown.
Kelly Day 2:29
I wonder if adding information about the woman beforehand was intentional? Maybe it was showing an example of how Jesus spoke the truth of the word into their lives. And, because of their open hearts, they received it and we're all-in on the mission of Christ from that point on. I believe they are examples of the good soil. They used what they heard and experienced and shared it to further the kingdom of God, therefore are producing a large crop of believers.
Kelly Day 3:00
Dear Lord our father, you are the creator of the universe and the truth. You are eternal, you are love. I pray that we would take what you have given us physically and spiritually and use it for your kingdom. Let us be individuals with soft hearts, to your will and your ways. I pray that we men and women become a force of good in this world, at this time, for your holy name Lord Jesus. Amen.
