A transformative process in the works
When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. (I Corinthians 15:36-38)
A seed must undergo a transformation before it ever can bear fruit. It goes into the ground, but it is still not a plant capable of fruit-bearing. Until the transformation occurs that reveals roots, stem, branches, and eventually buds occur there is no real 'hope' for fruit. The seed is merely a promise of what is about to come, but if you are anything like me, your garden seeds don't always seem to sprout, much less produce! The seed 'exists' - under the soil. It just never sprouted. There is probably a whole lot of seed in our lives that 'exists' but never sprouts. We might not realize how much seed is actually 'wasted' just beneath the surface until the soil of our heart is dug up, turning over the seed. Once the seed has been planted, the promise is for a new beginning, but both the soil and the seed must work in unison toward that new beginning!
There is a hope that lies deep within our hearts - the hope of what we might call 'spiritual growth'. We count on the seed God plants within our hearts to go through a transformation, in turn transforming us. Whenever we take in God's word, we are likely having tiny seeds of faith planted. In time, those seeds begin to transform, as does our inner character. The change begins the moment the seed is placed - the evidence of the change may take a bit longer, though! Whenever we embrace the seed of God's word, we are welcoming transformation, but is the transformation process always comfortable? No! Not at all. There is a whole lot of 'work' going on within our hearts that will eventually bring about evidence of growth and hope of fruit, so we 'endure' the work that is taking place 'beneath the surface'.
A seed must undergo a transformation before it ever can bear fruit. It goes into the ground, but it is still not a plant capable of fruit-bearing. Until the transformation occurs that reveals roots, stem, branches, and eventually buds occur there is no real 'hope' for fruit. The seed is merely a promise of what is about to come, but if you are anything like me, your garden seeds don't always seem to sprout, much less produce! The seed 'exists' - under the soil. It just never sprouted. There is probably a whole lot of seed in our lives that 'exists' but never sprouts. We might not realize how much seed is actually 'wasted' just beneath the surface until the soil of our heart is dug up, turning over the seed. Once the seed has been planted, the promise is for a new beginning, but both the soil and the seed must work in unison toward that new beginning!
There is a hope that lies deep within our hearts - the hope of what we might call 'spiritual growth'. We count on the seed God plants within our hearts to go through a transformation, in turn transforming us. Whenever we take in God's word, we are likely having tiny seeds of faith planted. In time, those seeds begin to transform, as does our inner character. The change begins the moment the seed is placed - the evidence of the change may take a bit longer, though! Whenever we embrace the seed of God's word, we are welcoming transformation, but is the transformation process always comfortable? No! Not at all. There is a whole lot of 'work' going on within our hearts that will eventually bring about evidence of growth and hope of fruit, so we 'endure' the work that is taking place 'beneath the surface'.
God actually gives the 'seed' all it needs for growth. What looks like a 'bare seed' might not reveal the full potential of the seed at first, but as God gives it all it needs to grow, the 'new body' of that seed brings evidence of the fullness of what it will produce. Just sayin!
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