Day 93 Mustard seeds Matt 13: 31-32; Mark 4: 30-32; Luke 13: 18-19

Guided reflection:

More seeds/weeds/grain stories!    I love these kinds of stories – when little becomes MUCH when placed in God’s hands.  Just think, faith like a tiny mustard seed – the smallest of all seeds… that kind of faith, if conditions are right, can grow into such a large tree that birds can build nests in it!  All from a tiny seed!  I wonder what tiny seeds are taking root in my heart that have the potential of great things for God!  Do you have a place in your life that need faith and you fear you do not have enough?  Why not place that tiny faith into God’s hands and stand back and see what God does with it!  One idea, write it down on a piece of paper, bring to the church and slip it between the pages of the Bible on the altar.  Do not sign your name… but wait and see into what your faith might develop! 

Guided Prayer:

“A tiny seed, O God, is all that I have sometimes… but this story tells me you can make wonderful things out of my little bit to offer you.   So, take what I have and let’s see what you and I can do with my life!  Amen.” 

Day 92 Parable of the weeds Matt 13: 24-30

Guided reflection:

I sure wish life was easy, don’t you?   Why do weeds – distractions that sap me of my energy – have to grow along side of the things I am trying to do for good?   Why can’t we have some kind of spiritual “round-up” that we can spray on our hearts so that weeds and distractions cannot even grow in our hearts?  We need to face reality – in this life we have tribulations…  Jesus said so and we know so!  We are to just keep growing in Christ right along with all the other stuff.  Then at the end of life, what has been done for Christ will be what will last.  Where are the weeds of life choking you right now?  Where is it hard to see if you are doing good or just adding to confusion?  Remember, God knows you heart and God is the judge – not others and not even yourself!

Guided prayer:

“Thank you, Loving God, for being the loving harvester who knows what I have done for you that is good… and knows and  tosses aside the things I have done for other motives.  Thank you for being the judge and not allowing even me to be the one to judge my life.  Toss away from me what is a detriment… and allow your word to flourish in me.  Amen” 

Day 91 Secretly growing seed Mark 4:26-29

Guided reflection: 

Jesus must have been teaching during planting season or maybe harvest season, because many of his parables are about seed being sowed and various conditions that affect harvest.  This short story only told in Mark,  adds to the point that if we allow the “seed” (Word of God) to be planted in our hearts, we do not have to use our own efforts for goodness to develop.  That is the Spirit’s job!  We just have to be fertile soil, ready and willing to accept what God (the sower) plants in our hearts.   If we receive love, it will just be natural to show love to others!  Can you think about a time when God used you and you did not even know you had it in you? 

Guided prayer:

“O great and wise sower of seeds, I open my heart to you and ask that you create in me the kind of heart that is open to any seed of truth you send my way.  I step out of the way and allow your spirit to work in and through me.  Amen.” 

Day 90 The purpose of the parables Matt 13:12; Mark 4: 21-25; Luke 8: 16-18

Guided reflection: 

I suggest you read the Mark text today… the point of the parables is to “get” an insight and then let it bear fruit because that begins the cycle of abundance.  If you are open to some truth, even more will come.   If you give some away, more will come to you.  The spiritual cycle of abundance will have begun in you!

Guided Prayer:

“Dear God, do not allow me to be stingy with your truth.  Help me be open to the cycle of abundance of truth:  the more I give, the more I will receive.   Lord, where am I hindering my own understanding?   I want all that you have for me!  Amen” 

Day 89 The meaning of the parable of the sower Matt 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15

Guided reflection:

On Day 86 we read the parable of the sower.  Now Jesus explains the meaning.  Go back to day 86 and look over the list of soils you discovered… and then read today’s words.  Write what each soil represents:

1) The path – someone hears but does not understands so just lets it wither and die;

2) The rocky place – receives the word of God with joy, but has no roots, so dies;

3) Thorns – grow up with the new plant, but the thorns end up choking out the life of the little  

 plant, so it dies;

 4) Good soil is rich and filled with what is needed for a plant to take root and flourish.

The point, the seed will do its thing IF the soil is ready to create the environment for it to flourish.  Now, Jesus wants us to get the point that WE are the soil… it is up to us to allow the seeds of truth to grow in our lives.   So, where are the rocks and thorns in your spiritual life?  What do you need to remove or cultivate so you can be open to what the Word of God wants to say to you today?

Guided prayer:

“Open my mouth and let me bear gladly the worth truth everywhere.  Open my heart and let me prepare love for your children thus to share.  Silently now, I wait for you, ready, my God, your will to see.  Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit Divine.  Amen” 

Day 88 The special gift for the disciples Matt 13: 16-17; Luke 10:23-24

Guided reflection:

Yes, those lucky disciples.  It is true that those twelve had the chance to walk with Jesus, to hear his words and to understand their meaning – Jesus was right there and they were open.   We have the perspective from the other side of the cross… and the written word.  We do not hear the emphasis Jesus placed on certain words; nor do we know the tone Jesus used.  BUT, we do have the spirit of the living God within us to open our spiritual eyes to the truth.  These three verses show us a special bonding with His disciples.

Guided Prayer:   

“Oh, to have Jesus say to me “Dear one, you are blessed because you see and you hear and you get it!”   Sometimes I am slow to even WANT to see and hear.  Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth you send that are clear; and while the wave notes fall on my ear, let everything else disappear!  Open my ears and illumine me, Spirit Divine!  Amen”

Day 87: Why Parables, Jesus? Matt 13:10-15; Mark 4: 10-12; Luke 8: 9-10

Guided reflection:

At Vacation Bible School one summer, someone brought one of those pictures of what looks like TV static… yet if you get your eyes fixed just right, you could see Einstein doing an experiment in his lab coat!  But to the normal eye, you just saw squiggles… until you looked deeper.  Or what about one of those photos that had things hidden in them and you were to look closely to see the pitcher, or the bunny, or the hat, etc.   Jesus said that parables are just nice little stories to pass the day to those who did not have discerning ears… but to those who wanted to know and to see, they had deep meanings.   Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear?

Guided prayer:

“Open my eyes that I might see glimpses of truth you have for me.  Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.  Silently now, I wait for you. Ready, my God, your will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.  Amen”   ( From hymnal, “Open my eyes, page 454)

Day 86: The Parable of the Sower Matt 13: 1-9; Mark 4: 1-9; Luke 8:4-8

Guided reflection:

We now begin the section of the gospels that focus on the parables of Jesus… the every day things that Jesus uses to explain a spiritual concept.  In this parable, Jesus tells a story from a boat to the people who had gathered around him.   It must have been planting season.   Can you make a list of the kinds of soil the sower broadcast his seeds?  Keep a space between each type of soil for day 89!  We will hear his interpretation on Day 89. He just ends with “Let the one who has ears, hear!”   What do you think Jesus meant?

Guided Prayer:   

            “Loving God, as we look at these parables told by Jesus, help me to have ears to hear.  Open my eyes

            and my heart to know how to apply Jesus’ teachings in my time in history.  Amen”

Day 85 Jesus seems to offend his Mom Matt 12: 46-50, Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21

Guided reflection:

Now, as a mother, this story in the day and life of Jesus offends me.   We call Jesus’ mother “the Holy mother of Jesus”… yet when she comes to where he is in ministry and asks to speak to him, he gives her the brush off… and says that his true relatives are those who do the will of His Heavenly Father.   I always wondered about what she wanted to say to him.   Was he really setting a boundary with her?   Maybe she had a list of people she wanted him to “heal”…or was planning a family reunion and wanted him to be the star… who knows, but putting Mary aside, Jesus’ point is that we are “in the family” if we do God’s will.   So, are you “in”?   (But the next story starts with “Jesus went out of the house”… maybe he did go home after all!)

Guided Prayer: “We do not know the whole story here, O God, but we do hear the point – that if we

do your will, we are all in this together… we are family!  Thank you for including me and knowing my heart.  Amen.” 

Day 84 The return of the Evil Spirit Matt 12: 43-45; Luke 11:24-26

Guided reflection:  

This problem is often seen in recovering alcoholics or those with other additions.  They quit one addiction and replace it with another.  Unless folks face the patterns behind addictions they will just replace one “filler” for another in their life.  Our hearts were created with a God shaped vacuum… and trying to fill that hole with other things just keeps us from the real answer to our emptiness.   What do you “use” to fill up your empty places?

Guided prayer:   

“ Dear God,  Help me to see the places I have tried to fill my own God shaped vacuum.   Sweep me clean, but fill up my heart with your love and your mercy. Amen”