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Without Knowing How

by Larry Armstrong  
3/16/2010 / Devotionals

Without Knowing How
Larry L. Armstrong

READ: Mark 4:26-29

Jesus said, "Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how" (Mark 4:27, NIV).

As you watch a green bean go into the ground, drink in life-giving water, then germinate and push above the soil, you observe its development into a bush. Finally, it blossoms and grows a pod, which in turn lengthens and fattens until you harvest delicious food.

According to Jesus' parable, God's rule over human life is similar. It begins when a seed is planted within you. In other parables, the seed represents God's word, Jesus' proclaimed message. When his gospel goes into your heart's dirt, it sprouts and grows day and night. You rarely notice how the growth process happens. Yet little by little, you're refashioned from being a person who wanted little to do with God into being a person very much like Jesus his Son.

Trust the process of spiritual growth without knowing how it works. The Lord established it for his people. Read scripture daily. Read lengthy passages as well as short snippets. Pray about the thoughts and stories you read. Perhaps write a short journal entry describing what you learned from each day's reading. Come back to the journal in the future. You'll be surprised at how much you've become a child of the kingdom. You'll wonder how it happened so easily.

TODAY'S QUOTE: About the Holy Spirit's gift of God's word implanted in a Christian, John MacArthur said, "It is the source of power and growth for your new life in Christ."

THOUGHT FOR LIVING: How God's word grows within you and influences your life may be a mystery, but it's also a reality.

PRAYER: Spirit of God, make scripture come alive as I read it, and help me grow into a better disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Copyright (c) 2010 by Larry L. Armstrong

Larry L. Armstrong is author of Patience: Harvesting the Spirit's Fruit and other books and ebooks. He's pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Jeannette, PA as well as a speaker for FaithProbe seminars. Find out more at www.FaithProbe.com.

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