Thursday, June 11, 2009

I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities.

Psalm 130:5-8

Today's Scripture

Mark 4:1-9

Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and chocked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen."

Today's Prayer

Lord, the soils are varied within the hearts of men and women. Sometimes my own heart changes from sun-scorched earth to thorn-choked field within a matter of hours. There are many ways in which I can be unreceptive to your word.

But, like this sower, you are not discouraged. You scatter seed with a holy recklessness. Though seeds are lost, the harvest is assured. Staggering yields! Even a hundredfold!

And so it is with your kingdom, Lord. The harvest is assured. Among those who are prepared in spirit, your seed takes root, grows and flourishes until multitudes are fed.

May my life become a small part of your kingdom-garden.

Amen.