Our Gospel Seed

I awoke this morning thinking about the tree that is the highest up on the mountain. Have you ever wondered about such trees and how the highest tree got there? Since the cones on these coniferous trees always fall downward, how is it that there are trees way up on the sides of the mountains at unbelievable altitudes?

The only answer is that the wind blows hard in those regions. And sometimes the wind will catch the seed or cone of a tree and whisk it up to normally unreachable heights. Even though there is almost no soil in such places, somehow the seed falls between massive rocks and finds a place to grow. Then, some time later, out comes the tree. It will be a sinewy one perhaps, but nonetheless a real tree growing there on the highest place on the mountain in the most incompatible conditions. No one would purposefully plant a tree there but God.

The responsibility of the believer is to throw out the seed everywhere. But sometimes the seed is carried away to places never intended by us. Or, if intended, it is sown without much reason to believe that anything will happen. Our gospel seed seems to hit the rocks and slide down into the crevices where it is not appreciated. Or, even more amazingly, the seed sits on the rock until it is carried to another undesirable place in mysterious ways that you and I will not ever figure out. But there, in that most uninviting place, a "tree" is born.

Only God can do that.

Here is my word for you. Throw the seed everyplace. Be promiscuous in sowing it. Don't be discouraged about stubborn, hard, rock-like responses from some, even among your own relatives. You cannot really tell what God is doing. God will prove you wrong.

There is a strange line in an old hymn, "Rock of Ages," that you may remember. It says, "May my zeal no langour know." What does it mean? It is a prayer that the enthusiasm that we have will not be brought to a whimpering, silent end, and the zeal put in us by the Spirit will not sleep.

Satan is not languishing in his zeal. The world's motivations are not asleep. Neither must we let down. But enthusiasm is not all that is involved. It is God that is at work in growing the kingdom. "I will build my church," He said. Therefore, I don't even have the slightest hint of concern that our labors are in vain.