Take a seed, any seed of your choosing…but preferably a seed that came from some fruit you had or might have grown in your garden, like tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc. Or, feel free to buy a package of seeds from a local shop that sells packaged seeds for gardening, and then take out a few, perhaps 2-3 individual seeds and set them on a table top, maybe a desk where you study/work; just set them aside but make sure they are visible to you…and then leave them alone.

Care to guess what those seeds will look like over time as you observe them in that same spot, maybe a few weeks later? It’s a pretty safe bet that they will remain unchanged. Why do you think when you purchase seed from a seed store, packaged or not…that they remain as seed…until you do something with them?

But now take those same seeds and get yourself a small Styrofoam cup that has some soil in it…and ‘plant’ those seeds just beneath the surface, adding a bit of water/moisture and then set that cup back where you had previously placed those seeds. Or, you could plant them in your garden if you have one and do the same thing…add water and keep an eye on it. You pretty well know what will happen in due time. Something ‘miraculous’ takes place to those seeds as that outer shell breaks open and something begins to grow.

There’s a reason God likens His word to a ‘seed’, especially in the parable of the sower as told by Jesus and is found recorded for us in 3 of the 4 gospels. “The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11; Mark 4:14). And left alone on its own…it remains just that…a ‘seed’. But when planted, just beneath the surface of that soil…’nature begins to do its thing’, and over a period of time, a tiny shoot of life will burst through that soil top and begin to thirst, crave, yearn for and need…sunlight and water to continue growing.

This is only the beginning of an incredible process that most of us are somewhat familiar with; a process that continues on over time.

And in ‘due season’…as the plant grows and takes root and strengthens…it will produce small buds that will flower…and then appear to ‘die’ as the petals curl up and dry before falling to the ground; but what remains is the early stages of ‘fruit’, depending on the type of seed you planted.

If for some unexplainable reason…you were totally unaware of this process, I could have placed that seed in your hand and tried to explain what would happen; but there is little I could say to you using all kinds of words to ‘prove’ to you what would transpire. I mean…why take my word for it? I could hand you tons of books, pamphlets, literature, and web site links that would be full of information related to botany and fruit production for you to read and study…and you could still remain a skeptic. Until you took that seed yourself and ‘planted it’…as a ‘step of faith’…that seed would remain unchanged.

And so it is with the word of God.

Hard for you to believe that the Bible is God’s word/message to us? I get it. That’s quite a stretch for anyone to believe that over so much time, so many people, so many oral stories handed down…not to mention all the issues of multiple language barriers and translations…how could anyone believe they could trust such an ancient collection of writings and put so much faith and stock in it? How could God have possibly overseen that process without there being major flubs and flaws and fallacies woven in to the mix?

But then…how could God have made anything…out of nothing…which is what He did…”in the beginning’ (Gen.1:1).

To state the obvious…You don’t have to believe the Bible is the eternal and infallible word of God. But what has been quite liberating for me, personally, has been coming to terms with the fact that I am under no obligation to ‘prove’ to you that it is indeed…God’s word.

I could talk myself blue in the face and point you to all kinds of good books that could make quite an intellectual case as to why you can and should trust in and believe the word of God; but until you are ready to take that seed and plant it yourself…it will remain just that….a ‘seed’. A seed with great potential for sure, but a seed nonetheless if left alone.

Jesus made it quite clear, telling us ‘most assuredly’…that “unless a grain of wheat (seed) falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies…it produces…it produces… it produces much grain” (John 12:24).

The apostle Paul would later write to believers in Thessalonica: “Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received His message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.” (1 Thess. 2:13).

I’m speaking now to those of you who are self-admitted ‘skeptics’, you are ‘on the fence’ and just can’t buy into all this; especially in these times when there is so much division and confusion. And dare I mention that a large segment of that population of people who will adamantly wave their Bibles professing to believe in and love God’s word…have allowed their actions on multiple fronts… to ‘dissuade you’ from believing. I get that too. And yet…something within you…senses a ‘need to want to believe’…but.

Let me wrap up here today and remind you of what transpired with a young virgin girl who lived in dark times herself many centuries ago. God was ready to reveal Himself in a new and living way to mankind, so He sent an angel to this young girl named Mary, who informed her that God had chosen her to begin a new work, and that she would ‘conceive’ and bear a child, a Son…and would call Him Jesus. (Luke 1:26-31).

We know that conception always involves a ‘seed’, but Mary was confused. This made no sense to her and she even asked the angel: “How can this be?” (34). She was assured that what was about to happen would be a work of God’s Holy Spirit…that same Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters back in the early days of creation (Gen. 1:1-3).

Did it all just ‘click’ for Mary in that moment? Absolutely not…but listen to her humble response: “Here I am Lord…let it be to me according to your word.” (38). She simply had to ‘receive’…the word…and then let God do the rest.

That is all God is asking you to do…as a ‘first step’. At some point in time, you will learn why…it’s been a complete mystery to you up until now, and that you have had a ‘veil’ blinding your mind from ‘seeing it’ (2 Cor. 4:3-4). But once you take that first step in coming to Jesus…’the veil is removed’ (2 Cor. 3:16). He alone…can and will make it quite clear to you (Acts 26:18) and He is more than willing and ready to ‘confirm His word to you’ (Mark 16:20). But you have to ‘come to Him’ first if it is life you are seeking (John 5:39-40)

I sure don’t have it all figured out yet…but this I know…He is faithful and true and is ready to reveal Himself to you…in just the right way that your heart is needing. You can trust Him; I promise.