Let it be

Mark 4: 26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Kingdom is like a harvest.

God wants to manifest His rule among us in many ways. Answered prayer, fulfilled prophecies, creative movements, a harvest reaped. But how does the Kingdom come today?
And what are we supposed to do about it? The farmer in his parable does two things: he scatters seed and swings a sickle. That is all. Seed and soil do the rest.

The man sleeps. The seed sprouts secretly—he knows not how. The soil produces autonomously without his help. In dark silence, a marvel happens. Seed and soil conspire. The farmer doesn’t impose his flowchart and timeline. He leaves them to their own designs. The conspiracy grows and produces a harvest. That’s how the Kingdom comes.

Have you scattered seed today?

Have you prayed, reflected on God’s Word, and shared it with others? Are you helping the poor and the weak? If you’re doing your part, then don’t fret it. Don’t sweat it. Trust God to do the rest. How will my prayer be answered? How will the dream come true? That’s none of our business. The
Kingdom comes in ways we do not understand, like a seed growing secretly. Silently. Don’t try to figure out how God is going to work it out. Don’t go digging up the seed. Let it be.

Having sown your seed, relax. Rest. Sleep and rise night and day. Be patient, but don’t be passive. Keep your sickle sharp. If it’s a Kingdom seed, it will produce a Kingdom harvest. Of itself! Don’t ruin it with hasty hands and a wrong spirit. Don’t manhandle the Kingdom. It comes without your help or mine. Don’t push. Don’t shove. Don’t fight about it.
There will be an answer. Let it be.

SEEK THE KINGDOM
■ Some serve God out of a restedness of spirit. Others serve Him out of a restlessness of spirit. Which are you? Make no mistake. Being rested does not mean doing nothing or doing less. Being rested simply means that in everything we’re about, our trust is in the Sovereign Lord. We serve with a
childlike wonder that refreshes our soul. We live in childlike dependence on God who secures our shalom. Is this the cry of your heart? Talk to God.

■ Singaporeans love to make things happen. We are first-class at planning, coordinating, executing, administrating just about anything. We’re big on scenario-building. We like contingency plans, multiple options, maximum leeway and runway. So, when we are clueless about what’s up, what’s next, it drives us nuts! Look deeper. Are we over-planning and micro-managing? Are we serving in our own strength? Relying on our reason, resources, and reputation more than on God? Search yourself. Ask the Lord to take over.

■ Pray: Lord, forgive me. Because I have not trusted You fully, I have controlled compulsively, analysed excessively, fretted endlessly. Deliver me from anxiety. Teach me to rely on You and rest in Your wisdom. Grant me the grace to walk by faith and not by sight. In Jesus’ name, amen.

■ The Kingdom is beyond human control. Memorise and pray the Word: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15 NLT)

■ On the other extreme, are you a scatterbrain? Complacent, passive, lackadaisical and lazy? Have you missed many opportunities to sow Kingdom seed in your circle of influence? Is your sickle blunt and rusty? Rise up! Shake off stupor. Sharpen your sickle. Discipline yourself to cooperate with God. The harvest has come (verse 29). The end is at hand. (Matthew 13:39)