The Mystery of the Hidden Seed

As Springtime continues on here, work in our gardens is a daily event. Our main garden has a pretty good start, as young plants have taken root and are starting their climb upward. However, another garden area in the front pasture was the last to receive attention. Although there are some volunteers well established from last year, most of this garden is merely seeded.

So, let’s talk about seed for a bit, shall we? The hidden mystery of the power of a seed. As I sit on my front porch and look out towards this garden area, primarily all that I see is merely dirt. Very dry dirt at that, as we’ve been incredibly dry for the last sixty days or so. An uniformed observer would look at that large, cut and tilled area of dirt and simply comment on what their eyes see – nothing.

But for me and my family, that spent the time to place the seeds into the ground, it’s not about what we can see. It’s about the mystery of the hidden seed. Yesterday, we knew that much-anticipated rains were moving in and soon the barren ground would be saturated. The seeds, lying dormant within the ground, completely unseen, were about to be given the necessary component to come to life. Water, provided by Yahweh from the heavens that reside above the earth. This simple event will start life.

The ground was worked and turned. The weeds and grass were removed. The seeds have been there, under the ground – waiting. But they lacked one more essential element. The one that all other factors would have to wait upon. The water that would cause it to burst forth, breaking through its shell, would have to come and soak the seed.

Again, if you look down on this garden even as I type this, you’d see nothing at all happening. It looks lifeless. But we know about something that you cannot see. Seeds are in that bare ground. Life is beginning inches down within it. All we must do is watch… and wait. It may be entirely unseen, but I have literal faith, based upon the knowledge of the action taking place and the testimony of seeing it so many times before. The seeds will break through the ground. Plants will grow.

Different seeds have different germination points. All have differing maturity dates as well. Once more, we see this principle producing a great analogy for all of us. Some people shoot up and grow tall very quickly, walking in obedience to Father’s wonderful ways quite quickly as they humble themselves before Him. Others may take a while and seem to never want to mature. Some may even grow tall and stately, yet never yield even one seed.

In reality, not all “seeds” will even make it. In Matthew chapter 13, Yeshua teaches us this analogy quite well. Some seeds were simply planted in the wrong way, within poor conditions and placement. Some ground is too rocky. Others will see the cares of life choke out the growth and life escapes. Some may even start out wonderfully, yet it is only temporary and, as trials come, they die from having no established root.

So, even within this, a beautiful plant is not the goal. The goal is fruit. A yield. As Yeshua stated, becoming “one who bears fruit and produces” is the objective. I’d personally rather have fifty craggy, horribly-looking bean bushes that produce bushels of beans than rows of beautifully green plants that yield nothing. (Think on that metaphor for a while, won’t you?)

The analogies are endless. That’s one of the reasons why I love a life towards a more agrarian way of living. It continually points us back to principles of life that most of humanity has lost. My point is simple. Sometimes, we may never know what is taking place under the surface. In our own lives and within the lives of others. We must be a people who are not merely guided by what our eyes can and cannot see.

Although the ground may look barren and desolate, perhaps there are seeds buried within it and all that is needed is some watering in Father’s perfect timing. Even if you plant and I water, Yahweh must provide the growth. So, no matter what you see, in the garden of your own life and in the lives of others that you love, be full of faith. Remain hopeful, no matter what things may look like on the surface. Spiritual metaphors abound as we have seen today, within the mystery of the hidden seed.