There
is an order to things in the universe. Down to the smallest details, there is
an order. Even when people speak of chaos theory, they are really trying to
explain the order that they see. There are also some things that come before
other things, even if there is a cycle to things.
Our
text tells us of the unseen power that makes the plant work. The farmer really
has no concern about what the plant is doing, he just knows that you put the
seed in the ground and several months later there is grain to harvest. He
really has very little to do between the scattering of the seeds and the
harvesting of the grain. All that intervening work is not his concern.
There
is a power in the seed and in the mechanisms of growth that are unknown. There
is a power at work in our spiritual lives that we don’t always see. There are
moments of interaction, but then often times long intervals with little visible
action. Both the plant and our spiritual lives move toward a goal, a purpose
for existence. Often all that is seen is the progress itself, not the force
producing the progress. Grain is the outcome of seed being planted. When the seed
produces grain, it has fulfilled its purpose. It has followed the predictable
pattern for seed bearing plants.
The
pattern for plants is seed, germinate, sprout, stalk, head, full kernel, ripen,
and then the harvest. If it stops along the way, for whatever reason, it does
not fulfill its purpose. The same is true for our spiritual growth. There is a
pattern that leads toward maturity.
The
Holy Spirit draws. We hear the Word. We respond to the Word. Excitement
begins. There is a hunger for Scripture. Challenges to belief come. Prayer is initiated
in earnest. Hunger for Scripture increases. Fellowship is sought. And the pattern
repeats until we reach heaven. OR we get off the bus and think we have arrived
at our spiritual destination, only to be found at some unfulfilling subway
station in Hell.
The pattern is predictable. If we stop the
process, try to shortcut the pattern, we will not fulfill the purpose of
spiritual growth. We will be unfruitful followers of Jesus. No fruit means
failure. If we don’t fulfill the pattern, we are weak and ineffective.
I want to fulfill all that the LORD has in
store for me.