The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 

Jesus extends his teaching, in relation to healing the woman on the Sabbath, by exhorting his crowd with these two parables that talk about the “Kingdom of God.” Using two common everyday images, he illustrates profound truth: small beginnings can lead to transformative power; and God’s Kin_dom hs a pervasive influence in our lives.

Q. What small beginnings do you feel God is nudging you towards this Lent?

A mustard seed is one of the smallest of seeds. It was commonly known to be a plant that grew quickly, both in time from planting and once sprouted. In other scriptures, we see faith “like a mustard seed” held up as an example of the smallest amount of necessary faith. So the idea of a mustard “tree” would have been a bit comical to the hearers, although mustard plants can grow quite large. Instead, the illusion is to something larger: something that is growing even beyond its own capabilities.

Q. In what ways has God grown you outside of what you thought were your own limits?

The mustard seed and yeast analogies have this in common: both are known to spread quickly and permeate where they are placed--and it doesn’t take much. The idea here is that these verses are all about the “Kingdom of God.” It is far reaching, fast growing, increasing at a rate far beyond what we could imagine: like a mustard plant becoming a tree or some yeast taking over a giant batch of dough.

Q. How do these two images transform the way you see God’s Kin_dom around you?

God, Help us embrace the significance of small beginnings and trust in the transformative power of Your kingdom in our lives. May our acts of faithfulness and love contribute to the growth and impact of Your kingdom on earth.

Amen.