Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
The seed of God is in us. Given an intelligent and hard-working farmer, it will thrive and grow up to God, whose seed it is; and accordingly its fruits will be God-nature. Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds into nut trees, and God seed into God. Meister Eckhart
Have you ever opened up a seed and looked inside? What’s in there? – a fully developed plant all squished together, just waiting for water to release it, right? NO. (of course not) (I know you know better)
When you plant seeds, are you skeptical that they will grow? Do you pray over them and worry about their future? NO. (of course not) (I know you don’t)
Once you’ve planted the seeds, do you unearth them regularly to check if they’re growing? Or, once they send out roots or the first leaf, do you dig them up to check how they’re doing? NO. (of course not) (I know you wouldn’t)
In reality, most of us don’t even think about the miracle of seeds. We plant them and with some care on our part, pretty much expect most of them to grow. We don’t think about how it happens or what makes them grow. Once they’ve grown, we may rejoice and revel in their beauty or in their flavorful fruit, but we tend to take the seeds and growth for granted. This is the way the world works. This is the way of seeds, right? Yes. (of course) (I know you know)
And yet, every seed planted is an act of faith. And every seed that grows is an act of God’s faithfulness. A seed is an assurance of the hoped-for plant. We plant seeds in conviction of things not seen. God is present and at work in even the smallest of seeds, right? Yes. (of course) (I know you know)
So what about now in this strange and difficult time? Where are the seeds of hope – still not grown, still unseen fruit, still waiting? What needs planting? What needs nurturing? (yes, what needs weeding?) Where can we find the faith of assurance and conviction for where we are right now? Is God still present and at work here and now, in this unseen and hoped-for time? Yes. (of course) (I know you know)
God of the unexpected, of not-yet, of our hope and faith, thank you for your Spirit of life and growth – and for the beauty and fruitfulness you are creating in and through us, even now. Yes. (of course) (so be it) Amen.
In the bulb there is a flower;
In the seed an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise:
Butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
There’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season,
Natalie Sleeth, 1986
UM Hymnal 707