We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
This passage is about a seemingly small moment”¦ a moment in the life of a seed.

Luke 8:4-15 in the ESV says:
One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see.”¨ When they hear, they won’t understand.'[b]
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

There are four soils here. I like to describe them as 4 P’s:

1. Path
2. Pebbles
3. Prickles
4. Perfect

What kind of soil are you?
Path people are hard work for God – things are easily stolen from them. They have lots of traffic. Lots of ideas. They are trampled on. Hard. They are a place where others walk. There is nowhere for a seed to hide. The Bible says in Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Path people don’t do this.

Pebble people look good for a bit but nothing lasts. They receive the words with joy but don’t have deep roots and fall away when they face temptation. They are rocky. Unprediactable. They say “I might do it, I might not.” They have commitment phobia.

Prickly people are enthusiastic until other things get in the way. They are the “I will come to Grow Group if there is nothing good on telly” people. I will believe in you as long as you keep my life from going down the pan. They are those who hear the message but then it is crowded out by cares, riches and pleasures of life. They never mature.

Think of someone you count as a mature Christian. This is what they have overcome: the cares, riches and pleasures of this life. These things have no hold on them.

Do you retain what God says to you for a day, or a week or a year?
Do you forget the goodness of God easily and quickly?
Do you let things distract you?

Then there is the Perfect people. This is what I long to be like. I want to be an honest good hearted person who hears the word, clings to the word and patiently produces a good harvest.
Clinging to the word, patiently producing. Do you know something? You can’t produce anything good overnight. Jon has just done a massive show. It took hours of his time for months to make it look that easy. Some of us want the outcome but we don’t want to work for it.

What makes good soil?
Decomposed old dead things! This doesn’t sound very promising does it?
But it is true that the most beautiful smelling roses come from the foulest smelling compost.

God takes what is dead and unpromising and can make something incredible and beautiful from it.

I’ve realised that a lot of things have died in my soil in the last few years. Dreams have had to be laid down. Misunderstandings about my calling. There has been some broken pride.

This makes good soil”¦a laid down life, broken pride, humility, dependence on Him.

Sometimes God needs things to die in order to let other things live. For example, perhaps a relationship or a habit needs to die. Perhaps it is the mindset that we can handle things on our own that needs to die”¦

God needed to allow Jesus to die before there could be a resurrection. What needs to die in your life in order for God to raise up something better?

We have a responsibility to look after the soil of our lives. What are we feeding ourselves with? Who are we allowing to speak into our lives? What are we doing to help ourselves stay healthy? Be careful about your compost. Be careful about your water level.

The quality of the seed never changes. It’s the quality of the soil that does.

What if you say, “Nothing is happening in my soil Ems! I have been faithful. I am keeping my soil clean and free of weeds, I have allowed the right things to die and I am feeding my soil regularly but nothing is growing. Im praying. Im fasting. Somedays I even pray and fast at the same time but nothing is changing! I am still not pregnant, or married or able to speak in tongues, or able to speak Russian or bake bread. Or whatever it is”¦ ”

Do you know, you can’t tell the difference between a ploughed field sown with seed and a ploughed field. Do you know who can? Only the farmer. Only he knows the effort he has put in. But for days, maybe even weeks or months there is no sign of what He has been doing.

We are not in charge of when a seed germinates. The Bible speaks in Mark 4 of the seed growing secretly. If you force a seed to open it will damage it. The plant will not grow. It takes its time.

Some time ago, Scientists found a seed from a date tree. It was carbon dated (no pun intended) as being a Jesus era tree – a seed that was 2000 years old! Some bright spark decided to try to GROW it. It grew!!

Some of us have lost patience with heaven because it hasn’t happened like we saw it. But we can’t see what God needs to happen in order for that seed to germinate. The conditions have to be right. There needs to be patience. Some seeds germinate in a day (like some types of mustard seed) others, like some trees, take around a year. We don’t get to be in charge of that bit. We are in charge of the soil.

A seed needs certain things in order to germinate.
What does it need?
Warmth
Oxygen
Water

W
O
W

But do you know what? God will not plant something in your soil if your soil isn’t ready to handle it. He knows what we can handle and what will grow and bear fruit
It will be worth the wait!