Friday 27 April 2012

Wonderful Friday

Almost planting time.    In our region of gardening,  we plant our gardens after the new moon in May.    The weather has been so awesome here this month that many people are already planting.  Some of the farmers have already planted their potato crops.   But if we get a cold snap or a deep frost,  these people will loose their crops and gardens.  Decisions needing to be made.  To plant now or wait until we know there will not be another frost.  

Seeds,  spring,   growth.   This is an amazing time of year.  Here in Brandon we have a seed company called "McKenzie Steele Briggs".  Us locals just call it "McKenzie's"  don't cha know.   They produce millions of seed packages every year and ship them all over Canada.  Humm,  I think it is time to go drool over the Spring seed catalogues this weekend!   In the same way,  it is time to  read the Bible with the same enthusaism and passion as we read the new Spring Garden catalgues!


Friday Retreat.....
Prayer:  Almighty and Everlasting God,  help me to move in the direction You would have me go.  Help me to recognize and celebrate all the wonderful things You have helped me accomplish over my life.  Thank You Lord for all the magnificent people with whom I have connected and all the rich experiences that I have lived.  I am truly blessed.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Read:  St. Matthew 13: 18 – 23

Jesus then provides the disciples with the meaning of the Parable of the seeds.   The seed is the word of God.  If we go to Church and listen to the sermon each Sunday and on Monday we are back to our old sinning selves then we have not let the word of God into our lives.    If a minister or lay preacher does not read, pray, and meditate upon the Sunday scripture and then tries to  write a sermon Saturday night,  the understanding of the word of God remains on the surface and doesn’t get into explaining how this word of God applies to our lives  then we are like seed cast on the road.   The word of God sits in our lives doing nothing.  The word of God sits in the ministers or lay preachers lives doing nothing.
Jesus said that a person who hears the word of God and instantly responds with emotion lacks an understanding of God.  When this person gets into difficulty,  they do not have a deep understanding of the love of God and fall away.   
The seed that is spread into the weeds is like the person who hears the Good News  but worries about every little detail and forgets the big picture is not understanding  the Good news of God. 
The seed cast on good earth is like a person who hears and takes in the Good News into their hearts and then shares that Good News with others has got what the Word of God is all about.

Prayer:  Christ has Risen!  Christ has Risen indeed!   Christ took all our sins upon himself and gave us Eternal Life.   Lamb of God,  You take away the sin of the world,  have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God,  You take away the sins from my heart,  have mercy upon me.  Lamb of God,  You take away the sin of the world,  grant us Your peace.   As we live out our life in Your name today,  help us to ask ourselves “What have I done for Christ?”    “What am I doing for Christ today?”  What ought I to do for You today”?    Lamb of God,  You take away the sin of the world,  grant us Your love.   Amen

Many blessings!

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