Growing Seeds of Love In Souls

…Deep, deep Love. Love IS the seed of the Spirit that is sown in our depth. Its origin and abiding place is in the depths of inmost being, at the level of human spirit. It germinates and gives birth in our spirit to its own kind in us and from our spirit, as the seed breaks open, the seed brings forth its own love, joy and peace in our being.

Then its roots and shoots entwine and burrow into and through our soul’s mind, emotions, will, personality, and conscience, transforming one from inmost depth to bring forth patience, goodness, kindness outward to the shallower layers that are tilled along with the enriched and eye-pleasing topsoil in a mix that supports the faithfulness, gentleness, and self control that bring bud and flower out of affection for all the elements that greet, encourage, and sustain it.

The maturing plant sets and bears abundant fruit harboring within its own depths the heritage seeds of its own kind, Love, that will be further sown far and wide…….The meat of the fruit that protects, feeds and supports the seed is Truth from the same Source of Love. And the flourishing plant (like the mustard shrub that grows to be the largest plant in the garden from the tiniest seed) grows more as Love invites its fraternal twin companions, Mercy and Grace that thrive symbiotically with it, warding off disease and pests. The plant inhales hopelessness and fear and exhales hope and trusting assurance.

 

After I had written the above in a discussion group of my morning devotional, seedbed.com’s Wake Up Call, the Lord reminded me of a time when He was especially involved in guiding me through a storm.  There was a word that kept coming before me.  I knew how it is used in the English language today, but didn’t understand at the time why God kept pressing that word into my mind. Today, after 25 years, as I reflected on the series we’ve been engaged in on fruit of the Spirit, God finally showed me the relevance of that word to my life.  Twice this week God has reoriented my understanding regarding something I had believed I understood…..one having to do with my identity in Christ; the other new insight having to do with mustard seed and plants.  

I wrote and posted that reflection as it flowed in my spirit from reflecting on godly Love.
As I thought about what I’d written, I felt the Lord speak in my spirit.   I dare not even speak the word God spoke to me in that moment……about mustard after I had felt led by the Spirit to add the parenthetical comment on mustard) …. The ways in which God speaks to my heart sometimes leave me breathless and on the verge of reeling like a dizzy  drunk …….
I have no illusion that it is a word for anyone but myself…. as I have lived it.  And, as is the case with much of what I experience , this word was first hinted at in 1997 by God when I was under acute spiritual and emotional distress, but I had no context for it then….. now I do.
footnote: .One “aha” this week that was identity related had to do with the difference between being “Godsgal” and God’s GAL! Such a strange and wonderful opportunity to rethink how God views me and how He prepared me
The other was from reflection on the word “mustard” in the context of God’s recent instruction in my mind and heart about an “ard” being a kind of simple plow. I had been considering how one’s theology of suffering affects life responses and worldview..