Monday, May 13, 2019


Friends of Faith:
So, I haven’t sent out a writing in sometime, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t written, or that I haven’t thought about what to write.
Generally, standing in the shower on Monday morning the Holy Spirit is whispering a little “title” in my heart – saying listen to me.
This morning for some reason I realized that as frustrated as I am with those who don’t see and don’t understand, for whatever reason when I am that person, or when I am the person who is seeing & understanding, but not being, acting or doing, then I am no better than those I am frustrated with.
So, hence this writing, based on this parable:
“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given* and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’  ….
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
‘You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.’
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
“Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Mt 13: 1-23
These are the questions I heard this morning in the shower: “Do you understand? Are you acting on what you understand? Do you know why you are acting? Or are you falling on rocky ground or among the thorns and failing to act, or intentionally choosing not to act?” And maybe the most important question I heard: “Are you willing to seek answers, listen to, and act upon the suggestions that the Holy Spirit is placing in your heart?”
So, who’s patience am I testing by my action or inaction? And if it is my patience that is being tested, am I doing all that I can by stepping outside of my comfort zone to seek and to understand?
May you find it in your heart to be all that you can be by using all the gifts that God has given you.
Blessings,
Charlotte