SEEDS OF PROMISE

SEEDS OF PROMISE

                Women were created by God with a natural desire to have children. Ignoring all possible pain or side effects, they desire to produce after their kind and to provide for their husband a child in his own image.

                But before a child can be born, there must first be a male to plant the seed and in God’s economy that male is not just any old male. He must be one equally committed to the lifelong responsibility of raising this child to adulthood and again, in God’s economy that lifelong commitment is demonstrated by marriage and in enduring love and faithfulness.

                Once the seed has been planted the woman’s body begins to change. The breasts prepare to produce milk, the womb enlarges to accommodate a growing child, the body chemistry changes formulas to provide the best possible environment… everything is geared towards the wellbeing of the growing baby.

                Habits change, favorable foods are eaten; rest and exercise prepare her for the birth. The husband too is patient and supportive in every way possible. He is more than a seed donor. He is preparing to be a Father.

                If we understood the seeds of promise like we understand the birth of a child, we would perhaps treat them differently.

                Giving birth to the promises of God operates on the same principle.  The seeds of promise must first be planted in the womb of our hearts by the Father. And once the seed of promise has been planted everything will change. Every function of our lives will become committed to the growth of this seed. All that we did for ourselves before, we will now do for the seed.

                As I mentioned the other day, the seeds of promise that the Lord plants in us, not only grow into the thing promised, but they transform us as well, thus making us into the perfect environment for the seed to bear fruit.

                From time to time you will hear people say:  “I tried claiming the promises of God and they didn’t work for me.” But could it be that they have not been transformed by the seed? Could it be that they have not provided the right environment, the right warmth, or the right nutrients? Could it be that the seed has not been planted by the father at all, but has remained in the form of wishful thinking?

                Everything in God’s creation whether things visible or invisible, whether physical or spiritual… everything operates on the principle of the seed. The Garden of Eden was a seed that would grow and expand and eventually fill the whole earth. Abraham was a seed, called out of Ur to become the father of many nations. Israel was a seed, called out of Egypt through whom the nations of the earth would be blessed. Jesus Christ was a Seed that when planted would bring forth a huge harvest at the end of the age. The kingdom of heaven is a seed that will topple the kingdoms of this earth and fill the whole earth.

                Truth is a seed that when planted in us transforms us into sons and daughters of God. Even our human words have great creative or destructive power depending upon the spirit with which we speak them. But God, as the Creator of the universe, speaks words that create life. He spoke and it was done. He spoke the universe into existence. Likewise the words that He speaks to us are spirit and they are life.

                Jesus told this to the woman of Samaria saying: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” John 6:63.

                Here the Creator of the universe is telling us that His words are Spirit and life. Flesh produces flesh, but Spirit produces spirit. The words that Jesus has given us are Spirit and they are life. This spiritual seed once planted in our hearts will grow up and transform us into His image and likeness.

                Are you providing an environment in your heart for life? Are you taking in the Seed of promise? Do you have a seed-bearing relationship with the Father? Is it transforming you into His image? We are heading into the birth pangs of the last days. The birth of the man child is about to take place.

                “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:19-23.

                The seed, God’s Word, was planted in us by His Holy Spirit and we now live in eager anticipation of our birth into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Births are sometimes messy and bloody and painful, but the end result is new life when that life is born , the former things are forgotten for the joy of what is new.