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Today’s text
That same day Jesus
went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered
around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood
on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A
sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the
birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did
not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of
soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root,
they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and
choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’
Every moment
Every moment plants something in our souls. Every moment … the living Spirit of God
seeks our hearts, inviting, coaxing, nudging, drawing us to let the moments of
our lives water the seed of Love that is the presence of God in our hearts.
The word of God is not ink on a page, but the speaking of
God in time and space, in my history and yours, in the life of nations, their
joys, sorrow and follies.
The word of God is not words as much as events, happenings,
moments through which God speaks. And we, who hunger for God, search for the
right words trying to capture what we think we are hearing in our moments so
they are not lost to us but water the seeds of life and love in our hearts.
But on too many days we are too busy, too preoccupied with
the exterior details and diversions of life, too shallow or too disbelieving to
think that is exactly in our moments that God is speaking.
We fail to look within to listen and notice what God is
saying, and the seeds of God’s life and love planted in their souls fail to
grow.
But this has been a good week. On several occasions, I sat
with small groups where people talked about struggles that were keeping them
awake at night or about experiences of helping and mentoring others.
Ideas were shared, encouragement given, insights appeared.
Conflicted souls began to let go of things they could not control, and others
took hold of ministries that are important to their hearts.
Together they listened to each other--and helped each other
listen to themselves. As they listened, they heard the word, the speaking of
the God who speaks in every moment.
The Bible was not opened in these particular gatherings, but
the word of the God who is Life and Love was heard in the moments of
all-too-human lives. And having heard, those lives had more life and love in
them, more strength and grace.
The seeds of God’s life planted in their souls grew because
time was taken to listen and ask what the Spirit was saying through the moments
and struggles of their lives. The seeds God was sowing found fertile ground and
grew into the Love that is the presence of God in our hearts.
Pr. David L. Miller
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