Encouraging New Growth

Well, it’s spring and the blossoms are out and there seems to be visible new buds and new growth on most of the shrubs. 

I was thinking about that and this post Easter season we are in.  Jesus spoke about seeds as He taught His followers about His life, and then our lives.

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:23-25

We all love the flowers and vegetables that grow from seeds but it is true that the original seed dies in the ground before any new growth takes place. 

I’m so grateful that Jesus Christ gave His life as the seed that died so that you and I could find life with God. 

The harder part for us is the time when it’s up to us to be the seed that is planted into the soil and dies so that new life can be multiplied. 

Sometimes it’s praying for someone or something and not seeing the solutions in the way and time we wish it would come. Sometimes it’s choosing to let go of certain conveniences or comforts in order to do the right thing that lifts up someone else. 

Most of all, I think it’s just doing the right thing, trusting in God’s promises to us, throughout the course of a long season, or even our whole life, whether or not we see the results while we live. 

And so Faithful God, in this spring season when we see so many signs of growth and life around us, we pray with thanksgiving. We also pray for faith and trust and courage to see our lives in the way Jesus saw His life.  Under Your direction, show us how You mean for us to be a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, bearing much fruit. 

It’s so easy to get caught up in making things as good as possible in the here and now and while You certainly want to bless us often, there are times when You ask for sacrifice and trust, an allowing something of our own personal life to be lost in order for something greater in the Kingdom of God to come forth. 

Lord, in the way that You intend, we pray today that our lives would be good seed in Your hand and that we would be filled with the best seed, which is the Word of God, so that everywhere we go that seed would be planted in the hearts of everyone we meet.  Help us today, we pray.  Amen

As we see growth today, let’s pray to be those who encourage growth in others.