This is the last Thankful Thursday this term. You need no equipment - not even an instrument this week - action songs all the way. Next week I am having a few days off - there will be one video for all the children for Pentecost Sunday and Thankful Thursday will be back on 4th June.
Blessings Claire xx
Thankful Thought : 21st May 2020 : The Sower, Mark 4 v 1-20 (& Matthew 13, Luke 8)
This parable features in 3 of the 4 gospels. In Mark’s very pacey Gospel it is the first parable recorded and the only one that Jesus also explains to his disciples. Jesus was an amazing teacher and understood that people remember stories so much better than lists of facts and that stories convey meaning on many levels. I have known people who fit all the types of soil mentioned – indeed there has been seasons in my own live where I have behaved like each of the soils. I can see times in my life where I was like the path and forgetful of God’s word or had it snatched from me by people who wanted to under-mine and sow lies instead. I have had periods of rocky ground when I have sprung up with great enthusiasm with part of my faith understanding but failed to water it with fellowship and bible reading and that sprout of faith has withered and died. I have found myself surrounded by thorns and weeds – people not of faith in a workplace who made me feel choked and almost made me question the word in my life and sowed many doubts. I have discovered through my own years of gardening and also through my faith journey that being or having good soil requires hard work. The soil needs digging, fertilizing and weeding. This is an on-going process and is sometimes painful.
How are you cultivating the soil of your faith in this lockdown season? Are you on a dry path where so much is happening the word is being snatched away or forgotten? Are you finding it rocky going – there are moments of enthusiasm but then the fears burn-up and your faith begins to whither? Are you surrounded by weeds – alternative narratives that either do not feature God or even worse lie about his role in our current crisis? Or are you using this season to dig deep in his rich scriptures, to listen to his word on podcast, to worship in his online temples singing his praises in every corner of your home? Are you zooming into home groups and praying over the phone to encourage fellow believers?
I pray in this season God’s word will find good soil in your heart and grow to bare much fruit.
Love and Prayer Claire xx