Mark 4:3-8
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. —Hosea 10:12 (NIV)
We were talking after church with our friend about the extreme heat this summer in Ohio that caused trees and flowers to wither. Farm crops were hit especially hard. My friend’s family farm is known for producing the best sweet corn in northwest Ohio, but this year the crop was disappointing.
Because we had a very wet spring, the roots of the corn plants were not stressed enough to seek deeper water. Now they were not prepared for the dry heat of summer because their roots were too shallow.
This made me think about my life. When all is going well, do I seek to strengthen my faith by digging deep into the word of God? Do I pursue a deeper relationship with God so I will be prepared for seasons of drought? Are the roots of my faith deep or shallow?
We will all experience seasons of plenty and seasons of drought, but we will be prepared for these seasons when we seek God’s word as our guide and trust God’s presence with us.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to seek you in all aspects of our lives so that we may be grounded in your love and bear fruit in all situations. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thought for the day: In seasons of want and seasons of plenty, I will remain rooted in God’s word.
Elizabeth J. Hyde (Ohio, USA)
