Planting Seeds

[The Lord said,] “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Isaiah 55:10-11

A lack of rain is called a drought. Everything dries up and turns brown. One time this happened was the “Dust Bowl” period in the 1930s. The Dust Bowl was one of the most destructive droughts in history. A lack of rain, along with poor soil management, caused the top layers of soil in the Great Plains to turn to dust. Enormous dust storms called “black rollers” or “black blizzards” occurred. Some of the dust clouds traveled as far as the East Coast. Many farmers had to move.

What does a drought have to do with the Bible? Today’s verse says that just as snow and rain water the earth and cause grain to grow, God’s Word goes out and will produce fruit. There is no drought when it comes to the Bible. God’s Word accomplishes what it is meant to do. This does not mean that every time someone hears the Bible, he or she will believe in Jesus or accept the Bible’s teaching, but God’s Word will accomplish what God plans for it to do.

When you share a verse of Scripture with someone, you are planting a seed in that person’s heart. That seed may grow, or it may not. Or it may grow over time as another person waters it by sharing more of God’s message with the person. Planting and watering are both important, but it’s really God who does the work in making the seed of truth grow in someone’s heart. The apostle Paul told the church at Corinth, “It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work” (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).

Is there someone near you today who needs a seed of truth planted in his or her heart? Perhaps there’s a student who seems like she would never be interested in God. Or there’s a neighbor girl who has so much going for her she doesn’t seem to need God. Plant the seed anyway. God’s Word is powerful, and you never know who might need to hear the gospel message today.

List three people who may need to hear God’s Word. How can you plant that seed in their hearts? Ask God to give you wisdom about how to do that.