Devotions

Where else was she going to hear the news of Jesus, who suffered, died, and rose again to save her? Where else are WE going to hear that Gospel, which we need to hear again and again and again?

Jesus chooses anyone and everyone to benefit from his loving attention, even though he knows perfectly well we aren’t going to repay him with the love and thankfulness we should. It doesn’t matter to him—at least, not enough to make him decide not to love us! In fact, he goes ahead and suffers and dies for us—yes, and rises again, so that whoever trusts in him may be saved.

He is the one who came into our world to suffer and die for us. He left his home in heaven to become one of us—and yet, not someone accepted and wanted, at least by the leadership of his country. He himself lived as a refugee as a child; and as an adult, he knew hunger and loss, trouble and fear.

Will our work mean anything in the end? It seems so tiny, so easily shattered! How can it produce any great fruit among these people we have come to love? We are right to see our own smallness. But we trust in the greatness of God, who has loved us and sent Jesus to save us.

The sower is throwing the seed around with such abandon! He doesn’t stop to dribble it carefully over the ground—to avoid the hard-beaten path, or the rocky ground, or the bit with thorns. He just throws the seed everywhere…