*Daily Office - Discovering the Rhythm of Sabbath
1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
2) Scripture Reading—Luke 8:11-15
This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
3) Devotional
Awareness of the love of God and responding to it is at the heart of our lives.
Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost, because men are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity and love.
This is no new idea. Christ in the parable of the sower long ago told us that “the seed is the word of God.” We often think this applies only to the word of the Gospel as formally preached in the churches on Sundays. But every expression of the will of God is in some sense a “word” of God and therefore a “seed” of new life. The ever-changing reality in the midst of which we live should awaken us to the possibility of an uninterrupted dialogue with God.
"We must learn to realize that the love of God seeks us in every situation, and seeks our good.” - Thomas Merton
4) Question to Consider Pause to consider your day. What seeds from God might be coming to you that you want to be sure not to miss?
5) Prayer Lord, I praise you that your love seeks my good in any and every situation. Forgive me for the seeds that I squander. Soften my heart to surrender to your will in and through me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
*from "Begin the Journey with The Daily Office" by Pete Scazzero
