Ministry

Following the theme of Grow, I recently shared with the students my gardening abilities. I haven’t ever been much of a gardener and the dead lemon tree that I brought in definitely confirmed that my skills in this area were lacking. I decided it was probably a good idea to stick with plants that were a bit hardy and so I had much more success with a yucca – something you couldn’t kill even if you wanted to! In my yucca pot I also planted 3 succulents – all of which are now unfortunately struggling along with the poor yucca. I decided then to switch to indoor plants and I have had an enormous amount of success with a small glass jar that I lined with rocks, good soil and topped with peat moss. This plant is absolutely thriving and has almost outgrown its terrarium.

In the book of Luke, Jesus tells the parable of "a farmer who went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." Luke 8:5-8.

I noticed that my plants were very similar to those in the parable. There was my lemon tree which wasn’t in good soil and died, my yucca that seemed to be choked by the other plants in the pot and the healthy indoor plant that was thriving because of the good drainage, good soil and regular water.

In this parable Jesus explains that: "the seed is the word of God.Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." Luke 8:11-15.

I challenged the students to consider which one of these they identify with most?

1. Someone who isn’t interested in anything about Jesus?
2. Someone who is open to Jesus, but the word quickly becomes irrelevant?
3. Someone who is trying to commit to Jesus, but gets easily distracted by worldly things and loses faith?
4. Someone who has deep roots and a clear understanding how much Jesus loves them?

I want to be number 4 - someone who is sinking down roots, learning more about the love that Jesus has for me and trying to share that love with the people in my life.

I want to encourage you that if you want to grow in your relationship with Jesus this year, that He is also wanting that for you.

He loves you and wants nothing more for you than to Grow in Him.

Blessings,

Eve Ormsby

Youth Worker