Word for Word 4/12/17

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ, it is April and we are beginning to see the spring weather. As I am writing this, I recall that just a couple of weeks ago we had rain, lightning and thunder. The beautiful weather we are receiving comes with a price and that is the severe weather that can come seemingly from out of the blue.

The other day I saw a robin, and I have noticed some of the flowers in the beds around the parsonage growing with the promise of blooming soon. Spring planting season is nearly upon us and flowers are getting ready for the day when they will bloom in glorious color. This reminds me of what it is like to be a Christian.

We go through a time in our lives when all is cold, dark and gloomy and then as we learn of Christ we come to the time of a new life. This new life is not without its own storms but through those storms we receive the precious rain that waters our faith so that we may grow as Christians.

The day will surely come then when we are presented before our Lord and then we can show forth the glorious colors pleasing to Him that are even more beautiful because of our trials.

No Christian life is without times of trial but looking to Christ in those times can help us weather the storm. He is the one who plants, waters and gathers us to himself as a gardener does with flowers. The Easter season is a time of planting in the church. Just as we plant in the fields and gardens, also we must plant seeds for the church. When you plant your field or garden you plan what you want to harvest. In the same way planting seeds for the church we plan for the harvest. What do you see for the future harvest of the church?

The type of seed we plant is the first part of what we should know as we begin this season. After all, a farmer will not plant beans if he wants a crop of corn. He will also not plant weeds in his field that might rob the crop of water, sunlight or food. So as we plant for our church harvest let us make sure to choose good seed.

A farmer will also plant enough seed to produce the intended crop. Only a fool would plant a single seed and expect it to fill the bin. Many seeds are planted and not all seeds will sprout and of those that sprout, some plants will be destroyed or at least damaged enough to diminish the yield. Keeping this in mind, let us sow plenty of seeds for the church.

Where you plant is important too. After all you would not plant a garden in the driveway or a row crop on the side of a rocky cliff. You also would have better luck planting close to home, because it is hard to tend a garden from a hundred miles away. Let us plant seeds for the church in our own community first and then grow outward.

As we plant we must also keep in mind that we will have to tend to our crop as it grows; so plant with the intention of checking on the growth of the crop. If you have someone else weeding for you or harvesting, you will still want to see the results of your planting.
Bear in mind that no one person can feed the world, but if we all plant, none will go hungry for the Gospel.

Your brother in Christ,
Pastor Kevin W. Smith
Grace UMC
Lansing