Beyond These Walls: Here We Go! Week 1 Devotional Day 3

Beyond These Walls: Here We Go! Week 1 Devotional Day 3

DAY 3 – Wednesday

Daily devotional

Read

Mark 4:3, 14; Isaiah 55:6-13; James 1:21

Ask

What are some ways that God stoops to our level, so to speak, in order to teach us about his ways?

Are you listening to all the ways that God is speaking to you? How could you grow to be a better listener to God?

Reflect – The Sower and the Seed

We’ve acknowledged so far what the parables are and what they were meant to accomplish. Now we get to actually dive into the content of this incredible story told by Jesus! Each day, we will take a small portion of the story, as well as the parallel explanation that Jesus gives to his followers. Today, we’ll cover the farmer and the seeds that he goes out to plant.

Why would Jesus use a farmer as the main subject of his story? Well, put simply, because everybody would get it! This was one of the ways that Jesus brought ethereal, up-in-the-clouds spiritual ideas down to earth for people. Jesus was seeking to make abstract concepts more concrete. Additionally, Jesus’ willingness to use creation as an illustration to explain God and his ways demonstrates God’s care for the world around us. God’s world was made “very good,” and it still is!

This farmer is said to have liberally tossed seeds in all kinds of areas. All of this is a picture of Jesus’ preaching—he was sharing God’s message with everybody, and some were actually following him and reaping the benefits! His message was the good news that God’s reign had come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ— that God has shown up and we can know him! What better news is there? Unfortunately, not everyone was “picking up” what Jesus was “putting down.” There are a variety of ways to respond to Jesus’ message. And we’ll take a look at these in the days to come.

But for now—spend some time enjoying God’s world. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). What spiritual truths could he be teaching you from your seemingly mundane surroundings and circumstances?