Yielding a crop

Luke 8 : 4 - 15

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown

Good yield. That's what we all look for. We want to get back something for our investment. Whether it is a farmer planting seeds, or a banker investing money, or a parent nurturing children.........we hope the result will be some multiple of our efforts. Of course we don't usually hope for a hundredfold yield. Unheard of by farmers and bankers. But Jesus likens the faithful person to the soil that nurtures the seed so well that the crop is a hundredfold.

At midlife, people begin to re-think: what is the purpose of my life? What fruit have I yielded? We do know the One who gives ultimate meaning to our lives. But still, there are many choices before us. Which one do we focus on now, in the second half, with fewer years ahead of than behind us? With less energy then we had ten years ago. I am asking the Lord that question often. And as I look back, surely some 'yield' is there, though how many 'fold', only the Lord can say. But what about the present and future? One thing that comes up again and again is my desire to connect deeply with others. I am no longer attracted to rushing about doing this and that, although that will inevitably be part of servanthood. There are times when I do need to lend a hand in organizing events in church.....doing what is necessary for things to run smoothly. But apart from those times, my real desire is deeper connection. Somehow, it seems to me that those are the occasions that bring out more and more the person I am created to be. I learn who I am by connecting deeply. (In earlier years, I may have learnt about myself by the more concrete achievements) By God's grace, deep connection will also bring out more and more of the beauty of the other person, whether a friend, counsellee or directee.

We would all desire to yield a good crop for our Lord. There are many obstacles that we would have to carefully avoid. There are human life stages that bring about new desires.
So we journey on, tending the soil of our hearts. It is a process. As we persevere, the Lord himself will enable a crop that yields..........many fold.