Good Soil

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
Then the disciples came and asked Jesus, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” Matthew 13:1-16

Good Soil

Loving Creator who supplies all our needs
we are hopeful, terrified and anxious
so many lives have been lost to a virus
too many good people have fallen on hard times.

We who have had to bury all too many
those who have been on the front lines for months
the ones who are bent from the toil and the worry
ache to be held and nurtured into new life.

Help us to be the patient leaders who love
those who take the time needed to tend all
empower us be the hands of the Holy gardener
strengthen us to be abundance among need.

We know you seek out the lost and broken
infect us with your mercy and compassion
give us the hearts needed to lead in pandemic
and let us be good soil for the church you are planting now. Amen