Foundation
| As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul & Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. (Acts17:10-12) |
Two of Jesus' parables touch on the Word of God as the foundation of unshakable faith: that of the prodigal sower (Lk 8:5-8) and that of the house built upon rock (Mt 7:24-27). In the first, the seed is God's Word (Lk 8:11). In the second, the rock is the solid foundation on which faith is built and depends on the strength of our relationship with God through the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer and obedience.
I want to focus on the soil. Often we see it as inanimate, even static. We may even consider it mere dirt to be swept up and gathered in a dustpan. Yet it actually seethes with microscopic life which is crucial to its nutritional, life-giving value. And every particle reflects the rhythm of creation and cosmic community captured in Gn 1:12 - 2:2 with the atoms inter-relating in a perpetual dance of attraction and rejection. The soil is a living, moving entity.
In the first parable, the farmer sows the seed regardless of the quality of the soil. His actions are prodigal and inclusive. The response is varied due to the range of conditions. The soil in God's vineyard is a living entity, just as it is in nature. Every particle contains the creative breath of life from God. We ourselves are shaped from it, as is all creation. When witnessing to God's living Word, we should remember that where there is life, there is possibility.
In the second parable, the rock provides more stable founding than the sand. Scientifically, this is due to the increased density of its internal atomic patterns as a living, relational entity. The stability of our faith is founded on the closeness of our relationship with God, which ultimately strengthens all others, including those with nature itself. Our actions are informed by our understanding of God's character & his calling to us as his followers.
Eco-justice lies at the heart of our faith. It rests in God's Word. It feeds off prayer. It results in obedience to God's calling & his purposes for all creation. It is the living soil in which we grow & thrive in community, recognizing our dependence upon God & interdependence with all life. It is part of our call to mission.
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Glynis Goyns, married to Alaster. A Minister Emeritus now living in the Western Cape. Currently serving as Convenor of the Church Office & HR Committee of General Assembly. Also a member of the eco-justice task team that feeds into the GA Church in Society Committee.
