Chaplain’s Corner – Seeds

I come from a long line of farmers. I think I am a farmer at heart because I just love everything about gardening (except for bugs). Since March, I have been outside pulling weeds and preparing the soil in order to plant seeds. I’ve already planted English and snow peas, spinach and kale, radishes, carrots, chard, and beets. In early March I planted tomato seeds indoors that have produced seedlings that I will plant in the next few weeks. I’m really excited about some little cherry-type tomatoes called sugar bombs that I had bought at the grocery store back in February. They tasted so good! I saved one of the little cherry tomatoes and planted the seeds in starter pots, and they are already coming up! I just love to see the little green shoots push up out of the dirt, then form leaves, and then finally begin to bear fruit.

It’s a funny thing about the growing cycle. These seeds that I am planting come from plants and fruit that have finished their growth and served their purpose. When the plant dies, we say it “goes to seed,” yet in each tiny seed is the potential for a new plant that will produce many times more seeds. And it is absolutely a miracle that such a big plant can come from such a small seed. Some of my tomato plants will grow to be eight feet tall, and all that will come from one seed barely larger than a pinhead.

Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). He often used farming stories to explain the Christian life because the people of his day were very close to the earth and could relate. These metaphors still make sense today. This verse cited above is in the middle of a message that Jesus spoke to his disciples and some other followers right after Palm Sunday when he had been welcomed into Jerusalem as the king with loud hosannas. As He told them in John 12:23-30, He knew that he was going to die a physical death to fulfil his destiny.

Jesus knew that as his followers, like wheat, we must to die to ourselves and our desires before God can properly use us. How do we do that–die to ourselves? Does it mean that we have to be martyrs? Not necessarily, but maybe.  Dying to ourselves simply means submitting entirely to God. Jesus provided the example when he said in the Garden when praying to his father  “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

That means that our attempts to “do good” in our own eyes might not be for the best. Oswald Chambers said it best, in my opinion: “The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best.” 

Of course, when we disobey by breaking the law or focusing on our own wicked desires, we are obviously not dying to self; but did you realize that when we make any decision, pursue any path, take any action, think any thought, or say anything without first seeking God’s will through prayer and Bible study then we are also not truly dying to self? Total submission is dying to self and living for Christ.

I challenge myself and all of us to continually die to ourselves by seeking God’s will in all things. In this way, we can truly grow spiritually. And with your spiritual life as testimony to the greatness and goodness of God, you will be a factor in bringing the Good News of salvation to many, many others. Brothers and sisters, we have such opportunity here at Nashville Rescue Mission. The fields are white with harvest. I’m so encouraged to be fellow “seeds” with you as we plant in anticipation for the ultimate harvest.

In Christ,

Judy