We’re dead, and we’re dust. This is the perfect receptacle for imperishable seed. How often do we consider the true state of our reformation? Our decision to turn in faith to Christ feels as if it springs from within. We decide. We choose. At least, that’s how it feels.
But scripture tells us repeatedly that God must make us alive before we can recognize him or our true state.
Into our dusty soil of self comes the imperishable seed of the Holy-Spirit-inspired word of God. It is planted. God waters it. He nurtures and cares for this growing seed of faith within us. It grows. We sink our roots into him.
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV).
Without this planting, watering, and nurturing, we have no heart to love earnestly and compassionately with no strings attached. Instead, we guard ourselves. Without this seed, we have no faith. We can’t obey the truth and purify our souls. Rather, we remain locked in sin.
This word is living. It is sharp. It divides between soul and marrow. It tells us who we are and where we’re going. It points us to God.
Crack the book. Sit in front of a passage. Soak it in.
We fade. We perish. We blow away, yet God has planted his living seed in us. It was preached to us. It took root. We live. We taste and experience the beauty of our Lord. It is good. Its goodness is so rich that it changes everything.
What is the evidence that God’s word has made you alive? How is he changing you?
Top and bottom images: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Melinda, once again, what you write is something the Lord has been saying to me, too. I love His creation and thank Him often for the beauty of it all. It seems that this morning in my quiet time, the Lord was speaking to me more about HIs creation. I had the sense that there was more this time. THEN, when I read this blog, it came alive in this scripture that you quoted:
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV).
Wow! I thought about the water cycle that I taught in Biology and suddenly I saw that the water does NOT go back up into heaven UNTIL it accomplishes the purpose for which it was sent! This is SO rich! SO MUCH is accomplished, in fact! God is truly the Master of all creation! AND all creation entails SO MUCH MORE than we can think or even imagine!!! That refers to us as well!
Thank you, Melinda! I hope I have conveyed the effect this had on me; but I’m not sure I understand it myself … pretty sure I’m just getting a small glimpse of what God is doing!
Love and prayers!
Aunt Jackie
Thank you for talking about how God’s word touches the scientist within! He made us. He knows how to touch our hearts.
Loved your post for today!
God’s Word is so alive to me now that I believe that I can indeed read it for myself (as opposed to being intimidated by it when I was a new Christian).
I remember phrases, I reread passages and things jump off the page into my heart. I believe that God speaks to me through His Word and I experience this daily.
He comforts me when I’m sad or hurting, encourages me when I believe lies of the enemy. His Words lift me up out of the muck & mire that is my fleshly existence and place a song in my heart.
He gives me genuine joy & peace every day, otherwise I would spend my days looking for any symptoms of my breast cancer coming back. Or mourning the loss of my youth & dwelling on past mistakes & regrets.
Life is so much better these days thanks to my Father God and my Lord Jesus!
Amen to that, Rita! Thank you for sharing about your transformation.
God’s Word is my life-line! It renews me daily as I read and challenges me to live for Him. I sometimes have to dig deeper to understand a passage. Memorizing the Word enables me to mediate on it no matter where I am–at the stop light, at the Y on the treadmill. He enables me to recall portions as I pray for various requests. I cannot imagine life without His Word. Without His Word, I could not know how much He loves me, even when I have suffered in the past, I would find a passage that told me that I was precious in His sight and He loved me! His Word is the best medicine I ever had. “Your Word was found, and I did eat it, and was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, for I am called my your name, O Lord God most high.” (Jer 15:16)
Thanks for sharing that verse. What an encouragement!