Mustard Seed
Laura DeMaria
Sunday, June 14, 2015 had the familiar reading about the mustard seed. It goes:
“This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:26-32)
I love this reading because it gives me hope. It tells me that even during the times when my faith is low - on something important, or something negligible - just having faith in God is enough. The purpose in having faith is not to create a result - the largest plant, the most gorgeous leaves, the most generous shade. The purpose of faith is to live your trust in God, through all things.
Can you think of a time in your life when you had nothing to rely on but pure faith, and perhaps it wasn't even that much faith?
God just wants us to show up for Him. The test that has your worried, the bill that needs paying, the stranger you want to speak to, the idea you want to pitch in the meeting - these are all opportunities to say, I don't know the outcome, but I will have faith regardless. And the beautiful thing is, when we do trust and rely on God - even this tiniest bit - His grace fills in the rest. The act of faith is enough. It shows God where our hearts are, trusting in His heart.
What a wonderfully comforting thought. You need not run a marathon for God's love. Praying, fasting and acts of service, of course, are all noble efforts, but in reality, this deep closeness we can have with God is accessible within ourselves, simply through having faith. Speak to Him, trust in Him and offer that mustard seed's worth of faith. In return, your faith will flourish and you will reap the rewards like grain at the harvest.
"This is how it is with the kingdom of God."