Seeds That Grow

10/27/2020

Step #1: Lectio / Read

Click the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text.

Luke 13:18-21

Step #2: Meditatio / Meditate

Use the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).

Seeds and yeast are deceptively small and insignificant, yet full of incredible potential. Given the right amount of time and environment, they transform into something so much greater.

Whether we take this on a global or personal level, I think it is so important that Jesus acknowledged that the Kingdom of God would start small and humbly. Christianity didn’t become the most practiced religion in the world as soon as Jesus appeared- it started with the conversion of heart within each person of a small group of disciples and then spread person to person, eventually country to country. And Jesus didn’t just appear on the Earth as a grown man, he came into the world through conception- just like all of us- a tiny embryo within his mother’s womb.

If this is the way God intended His Kingdom to grow and transform- slowly and gradually, within ourselves and person to person- let’s intentionally tap into this goodness and not work against it.

As someone who reads and prays with Carpe Verbum, you likely prioritize working on persevering in your faith and growing in your relationship with God, at least to some extent. But we all have our struggles- what are you doing that works against those goals, works against the gradual transformative process of God’s Kingdom?

Personally, I often let frustrations, selfishness, and impatience get in the way. I get discouraged when I make the same mistakes again and again. I get annoyed with people that aren’t meeting my needs or standards. I get disappointed when I realize I am still not as good as I can be.

As our faith and relationship with God show signs of growth and transformation, there may also be a lot of discomfort and unfamiliarity at those “milestones”. We all know seeds can grow into trees, it has happened more times than we can count, but a new seed has never done that by itself before. It doesn’t stop to think of how much farther it has to go, worry about if it has what it takes, or compare itself to other seeds, it simply trusts the process and grows as best as it can.

Of course we are more complex than a mustard seed, but it may really do us well to simplify our minds and focus our energy to the present moment with forward momentum. Today’s culture seems to be highly focused on introspection and growth, with an underlying sense of urgency and competition. It is not wrong to slow down, take the focus off of psychoanalyzing yourself, and simply ride the ups and downs as they come (without trying to change them).

This is the process that God intended for His Kingdom to grow and transform through. Trust God through the process. It’s a beautiful thing.

Step #3: Oratio / Pray

These questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today.

How has God done big things in my life through small beginnings? Have big blessings come from simple or small things?

How often do I fail to trust the "growing" process of the seeds God plants in my life by jumping the gun or being impatient? How can I grow in trusting God's work in my life, even when it's slow?

What ways do I work against the growth God wants to bring about in my life? Why do I do this?

Step #4: Contemplatio / Contemplate

In this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord.

"Help me trust you, Lord."

"Bring about growth in my life."

"Let me learn to slow down and trust."

Step #5: Actio / Act

In light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today?

Trusting in the process of God's work in your life takes time- but it can help to see how he's been faithful in the past. Take time today to look at all of the "trees" in your life that God has grown from small seeds of trust, obedience, discipline, and love. Make note of how God has moved in the past so it can help propel you forward with a renewed trust in how he is working now.

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The following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day.

Today's prayer was prepared by Katie LoBosco, a music therapist for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Cincinnati.

If you have anything you'd like our team to pray for, please go to the page of our website called "Prayers" and let us know how we can pray for you today.

CARPE VERBUM