One of my favourite things to do in the garden is to grow plants from seeds. I see many parallels in the development of our Christian walk and the development of a tiny seed into a mature plant. When I sow fresh seed I usually sow it in a nutrient poor growing medium, as too much fertiliser would burn or damage the fragile shoots that emerge from the seed.
The Scriptures talk about how young Christians feed on Spiritual milk because they are not yet ready for the meat.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (KJV) – “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Milk in this passage refers to the basic, elemental teachings of Christianity.
Like the tiny seed which needs just enough nutrients to start it’s life and not too much, so it is with a new Christian, they need to be rooted and grounded first in the basic teachings of Christianity.
As the tiny seed shoots and grows it develops its first pair of leaves. When it has two pairs of leaves I pot it on into slightly deeper and more nutritious compost but not too deep. When its roots have reached the bottom of this slightly bigger pot I pot it on into a bigger pot and so on until it is ready to be planted out or I am happy it is in a big enough pot. If I were to try and jump straight to a really big pot then the volume of compost would be too great for the little plant to fill and the roots wouldn’t be able to draw up the water fast enough, the water would fill all the air pockets chocking off the oxygen and it would begin to stagnate and rot killing the little developing plant!
For me this is a picture of our Christian walk, we grow by degrees. It’s a process of sanctification that happens over time. God knows just the right time when we are ready to be ‘potted on’ as it were, to receive more revelation. If he gave it all to us in one go we wouldn’t be able to handle it.
If I leave the young plant in its first pot for too long without potting it on it will run out of nutrients and start to look sickly. It’s important to keep potting it on into ever bigger pots so it can receive fresh nutrients.
In the same way it is important for a Christian to keep growing in knowledge and in truth.
“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God” (Heb. 6:1).
Heb.5:11-12
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.
To sum up it is important to keep growing, to keep feeding on Scripture. We shouldn’t be content to remain in the same ‘pot’ eventually running so low on nutrients we start to look sickly.
A friend once said to me “I’ve already heard all the sermons I need to hear, I don’t need to hear them again”. That’s a dangerous place to be. It’s not good for your Spiritual health.
You would never say, “I’ve eaten all the meals I need to eat, I don’t need to eat any more meals”. In the same way we need to keep feeding on His Word.
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Luke 8:14 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. 15 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.
Lord thank you for Your Word. Help us to spend more time in Your Word.
Help us to have hearts to receive your Word, help us to hear it and also to do it.
Help us to hear & believe & bear fruit for Your glory.
Help us to ask questions and dive deeper into Your Word to search for its treasure.
Lord when trouble comes help us to draw nearer to You, to hear Your voice & receive Your strength.
Lord give us a noble & good heart, we want to abide in You so that we may bear fruit that remains.
Help us to be those who persevere and not give up. Thank You that You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us
To You be all the glory.
Amen
