Mark 4:26-34 (NRSV)
Devotion
I am not a farmer, but I live among farmers and have learned much from them. Their work is long and hard—and it bears no resemblance to the Hallmark movies I enjoy watching. There is so much more that goes into farming than simply scattering seed and watching it grow, and I recognize that I know only a tiny portion of what that entails. But I have learned, too, that farmers are people of great faith, for they recognize that they can do everything perfectly and still not have a crop, that there are things that are completely beyond their control. In this parable, Jesus invites us to remember that there are things over which we have no control—that something as simple as scattering seed and watching it grow is more about faith and trust in a bountiful creator than it is about anything we have done.
Prayer
Open our eyes, Lord, to all that you provide. May we see the beauty and the mystery in your provision and offer our thanks to you. Amen.