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Sound & Season is a daily audio devotional designed to connect the routine moments of life to the rhythms of the Church seasons.
This is Sound and Season. It's Saturday, 10th day of Lent. Our passage today comes from the gospel of Mark chapter 4 verses 30 through 41. And he said, with what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which when sown on the ground is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants, and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.
Lauren Starnes:With many such parables, he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples, he explained everything. On that day when evening had come, he said to them, Let us go across to the other side. And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And the other boats were with them, and a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling, but he was in the stern asleep on the cushion.
Lauren Starnes:And they woke him and said to him, teacher do you not care that we are perishing? And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm, and he said to them, Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Lauren Starnes:This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Jeffrey Heine:Who is this that heals diseases? Who is this who forgives sins? Who is this, teaches with authority? 'Who is this?' that even the winds and the waves obey his voice? Again, Mark invites us to contemplate his central question, who is this Jesus of Nazareth?
Jeffrey Heine:There are many times when even as the followers of Christ we may ask, do you care about the suffering I am facing? Jesus responds to this question with a call to trust him. The Kingdom of God can be hard to recognize, it's like a small unassuming mustard seed, but in time, through patience and diligence, the tiny mustard seed grows tall and strong. As Jesus said at the start of Mark's gospel, the time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand, and this Jesus of Nazareth, he is your King.
Lauren Starnes:Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you. Let us pray. All powerful King, by your words are the storms that surround us settled. In you, all things are made and find completion. Build in us the faith needed to trust you.
Lauren Starnes:Remind us of the firm foundation upon which we have been placed. We have peace within the storm because you have placed us under the shelter of your steady wing. Oh, Lord, help us today to find in you. Oh, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Lauren Starnes:Amen.