The coldest months of winter in Colorado don’t yield much yard work. This time of year leans more towards snowblower than leaf blower. But a passage of Scripture reminded me of a practice I enjoy every spring.

Jesus said, The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.

When the weather warms and the ground thaws next spring, I’ll give attention to my lawn. Raking, watering, and sowing grass seed. I over-seed large parts of the yard where the grass is thinning. I try to keep the grass seed contained, but some always falls into my planting beds. In an ironic twist I often get a nice stand of grass where I don’t want it. But so goes the practice of sowing good seed. It takes root and sprouts wherever it lands.

Jesus tells us the kingdom of God grows in the same way. The sowers (you and me) spread the seed—the good news of the kingdom—and let it fall where it may. We never know how the seed may sprout and grow—that mysterious work remains in God’s hand. We also don’t know whose heart might prove fertile soil. I’ve been surprised more than once by a person embracing the faith who I considered beyond the pale.

I sow without worrying about results. In small ways I express my beliefs and let people know I follow Jesus. I offer to pray for others and genuinely follow-through. Random conversations sometimes allow me to speak of my faith. Even saying bless you to a sneeze in the grocery store feels like a radical act of connection these days. No matter what you hear, people need Jesus. Don’t be afraid to sow some seeds.

Mark 4:26-29

Photo by Mikołaj 

This may be obscure Bible trivia, but if you do the math it appears that Methuselah, the oldest man in the Bible, might have died in the Great Flood. If so, can we claim his was a life cut short?

The text gives his age at 969 years old upon his death. Which by any count is a good, long life. Some scholars believe he died right before the waters rose. One Jewish tradition teaches that Methuselah died seven days before the Flood. These days were given so the people could mourn his passing, reflect on his exemplary life, watch as animals thronged into the ark, realize that imminent catastrophe was upon them and and receive a final appeal for repentance.

But apparently no one repented, and furthermore we have no record of Methuselah living a life of faithfulness. On the contrary, we read that of all the people living at the time only Noah found favor in the eyes of God. While Methuselah’s father walked closely with the Lord, young people often reject the faith of their elders. Each of us faces God on our own terms.

Do I believe that Methuselah died in the flood? Sadly I do. The Scriptures tell us that wickedness spread throughout the earth and I think Methuselah got caught up in the culture. Happens all the time. Fortunately his grandson arrived to build a boat and batten down the hatches. I wonder if Methuselah sat and mocked as the ark took shape, or did he slowly come to realize his own need for repentance?

It’s ironic that the oldest man in the Bible did not die of old age. But the Lord follows strange patterns. Pay attention, and don’t be surprised if this reality proves true in your own life as well.

Genesis 5 & 6

Photo by Donald Teel

After a week or so, most New Year’s resolutions fade. It’s uphill all the way when starting a new habit or breaking an old one. The only successful practice I’ve ever set in place at the start of the year involved flossing my teeth. That one stuck because of the woman at the sink next to me asking me about flossing every night. A little accountability goes a long way.

One commitment I’ve never regretted is spending time in the Scriptures. King David wrote: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

David boasted of the joy and enlightenment gained from God’s Word. He declared the teachings of the Lord to be sweeter than honey and more valuable than gold.

Most New Year’s resolutions revolve around improving ourselves. Walking more or reading good books or even flossing our teeth certainly makes our lives better.

But in light of all that we hope for at the deepest levels, what more powerful way to better ourselves than to take up the Good Book?

Psalm 19

Photo by Annie Spratt

The Bible begins with this line: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

I find hope in the purposeful nature of creation. God chose to bring the world into existence, ex nihilo (out of nothing), giving his time and attention to the process. Day by day God layered wonders. Stars, oceans, swarming creatures below the seas and magnificent beasts roaming the lands. In the midst of this cornucopia of curiosities, the Lord placed Adam and Eve.

A rival hypothesis posits the universe arose through a random assortment of cosmic accidents, out of dust and energy from who knows where. Through a series of collisions over billions of years, perfect conditions developed on a planet for life to spark and take hold. This living iota pulled itself from the sludge, and after several more billion years walked erect. You and I are simply the result of an unseeing and uncaring cosmos, here for a minute and then absorbed back into the void.

I reject that theory of creation, both on scientific and theological levels. God created, and in so doing imbued this world with meaning. My life and yours, knitted in the womb by God’s himself, carries purpose and significance. Not merely accidental side-effects, you and I are children of the Creator. May we live this new year with that in mind, as men and women the Lord placed on this planet to enjoy him and serve others.

Genesis 1:1

Photo by Ravi Pinisetti