A Man Who Sows Seed

And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.

Mark 4:26-27 NKJV

Jesus told several parables to describe the kingdom of God, often drawing on the world of agriculture. In one, he compares it to a mustard seed that a farmer foolishly plants in his garden (Luke 13:18-19) and, once grown, provides food and shelter for the birds. In today’s text, the kingdom is likened to a man who scatters seed (unidentified) and then returns to his daily life. Upon hitting the ground, the seed initiates a spontaneous process with the soil; it sprouts and grows without the sower knowing how it was possible. During this time between sowing and germination—when God seems absent—everything is entrusted to the seed and the soil. The kingdom is born and develops without us knowing how it can happen. Those touched by His work sense that something new is blossoming within them, and the “soil” begins to give way to allow the seed to sprout. Although we do not have a perfect understanding of when the Lord planted the seed within us, we remember that, little by little, many aspects of our lives have changed, and a desire for the things of God has been born. Our eyes have been opened, and we have realized how the path we had been following up to that point was leading us away from His presence.

The sower is aware of the power of the seed he uses and waits serenely and patiently for the season of growth: “For the earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head” (v. 28). This is a lesson in waiting, so that we may learn that we cannot rush God’s timing. At the same time, it expresses the power of the Word—the incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23)—which has the ability to break through the earth until it sprouts and grows. If this seed has taken root in your life, you cannot prevent it from blossoming; but you can limit the work of the Spirit. If we entrust ourselves to Him, the seed will begin to sprout; we will first see the stalk grow, then the fruit, because when the Lord begins a work, He brings it to completion (Psalms 57:2; Philippians 1:6). Time marches relentlessly on, and we cannot remain sprouts or stalks forever. We must grow; therefore, God expects each of us to allow Him to complete His work without fear of moving from one stage to the next. Our existence is marked by stages that, whether we like it or not, we must reach. It would be absurd to think of remaining stuck at the starting line. Scripture reminds us that the kingdom of God is in our hearts, and where our heart is, there is our treasure. Let us, therefore, surrender our soil to the Lord’s work so that each day He may make us vessels of honor—instruments ready to serve Him until the day of harvest.

The seed does not always fall on fertile ground ready to nurture its growth. Some seeds are devoured by birds; others are carried by the wind to arid places, even among the rocks, where no water flows and nothing grows. Right there, a little dew is enough for the seed to sprout and slowly make its way through the hard rock until it becomes a shrub and even a tree. It may be the seed, it may be the soil, it may be the dew… everything works together, just as the prophet declared: “For just as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without having watered the earth, without having made it fertile and brought forth growth, so as to give seed to the sower and bread to eat, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, without having accomplished what I desire and fully achieved the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11). We should learn from the sower. He is confident that the seed will not be lost, and he does not let himself be overcome by laziness or any form of calculation, nor does he scan the horizon for unlikely events. The sower scatters, and the wind carries it; then the rain moistens it, and time does the rest. Then the day comes, “when the fruit is ripe, the reaper immediately puts his hand to the sickle because the harvest has come” (v. 29). Be prepared.

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Weekly Bible Reading Plan #29

July 13, Psalms 7–9; Acts 18

July 14, Psalms 10–12; Acts 19:1–20

July 15, Psalms 13–15; Acts 19:21–41

July 16, Psalms 16–17; Acts 20:1–16

July 17, Psalms 18–19; Acts 20:17–38

July 18, Psalms 20–22; Acts 21:1–17

July 19, Psalms 23–25; Acts 21:18–40