Daily Lesson for May 4, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 8 verses 11 through 15:

11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. 14As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance."

"With patient endurance".

I've been reading the Bible closely everyday for 15 years, but today is the first day I can remember when this last phrase has grabbed hold of me so much. I am usually captured by the parable, with all its imagery. I can see things sprouting and withering, seeds scattered by the wind into the road. But this morning I'm taken with the last phrase -- "with patient endurance".

This is a counsel to wait. It is a word not to be too hasty to judge or to give up. There are things happening beneath the ground that cannot be seen. The roots are growing. The plant is making its bed in the deep. It's growing down before it grows up.

Earlier this year I preached at the Chapel at one of the local seminaries. Seminary literally means "seed bed". The students are in a seed bed, they are growing roots, they are deepening and growing strong in yet unseen ways. It requires patient endurance.

So much is happening now that cannot be seen. There is underground movement all over the earth. Little things are happening in places and in people. What is to be has not been seen, except by God.

But the eyes of faith do behold. They believe. And with patient endurance they plant, and they water; and they trust that God causes the growth.

They trust that the seed of something hopeful and good can still take root, if only given a chance.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.