“And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it” (KJV, Mark 4:30-32).
“And he said”
Father, I pray that You would speak to me. I need to hear Your voice; apart from You, I can do nothing. I am fearful of making my own decisions as I have no wisdom in and of myself. Every good choice and thought comes from You and Your wisdom.
I pray that You will bless me with Your wisdom. I must move forward with You in my life and know how to apply Your Word to my daily tasks. Although I continue to come up short of all that You have called me to, I am aware that I am able to grow in grace and mature as a Christian.
Speak to me, Lord; it is for You that I wait. Speak to me, lest I hear my own voice. Speak to me lest I hear the devil whisper in my ear. I do not want to listen to what the world has to say. I do not want to fall by the wayside. I do not want to be overcome by sin. So please speak to me and tell me the way that I ought to go.
When I look at the Old Testament, I see that Moses was a man who used to speak to Jesus face to face, much like a man would talk to a friend. I would desire that You would speak to me in this way. Please would You reveal Yourself in a greater measure in my life? Please show me Your face.
“Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God?”
I thank You for Your kingdom. I thank You that one day Jesus Christ will rule and reign upon the earth. It is for that day that I eagerly wait. I see the sin that dwells in the land. I see the sin that dwells within me. I know that I am not fully redeemed, but I await the return of my blessed Savior, Jesus Christ.
I pray that Your kingdom will come. I pray that You will send Jesus and send Him speedily. I look forward to the day when sin will be no more, and nothing will disrupt my communion with You. I thank You for being patient with me and for enduring with me. I do not deserve it.
“or with what comparison shall we compare it?”
Give me an understating of Your Word. Teach me by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Show me and give me eyes to see. While Jesus told many parables to the public, it was to His disciples that He gave understating. Thank You for the intimate relationship I have with Jesus and that You will help me understand Your Word by the power of Your Spirit.
When Jesus taught and shared the parable of the sower, He made it clear that those who experienced the most growth were those who not only heard the Word but understood it. Understanding and growth cannot be disconnected. If You help me to understand Your Word, I will inevitably grow as a result.
“It is like a grain of mustard seed”
Your Kingdom is said to be like a grain of mustard seed. Elsewhere it is said to be like a fine pearl. I must learn that nothing is more excellent than laying hold of Your kingdom. There is nothing more significant than laying hold of Christ.
In the parable, the man gave up all he had to buy the field in which the pearl was hidden. But so often in my own life, I hold on to things. So often, I find that I am entangled with this world and need to lay aside the weight and the sin that ensnares me.
Please, help me, Lord. I need You to work in my heart and cause me to prize You and Your kingdom above all else.
“which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth”
When Your kingdom began upon the earth, it started small, much like a grain of mustard seed. The seed was the smallest of the seeds used for sowing during that time, and I can see why Your kingdom has been equated with the mustard seed.
Your kingdom did not come with numbers. It came with Jesus. Jesus came into this world with humble beginnings; therefore, Your kingdom came the same way.
“But when it is sown”
Father, I pray that You would teach me to sow the seed of the Gospel. It is only through Your Gospel that salvation comes. I thank You for sending Christ into the world to save sinners. I recognize that I needed to be saved and that Jesus came for me.
Help me to learn and understand Your Gospel. Rid me of shame in the proclamation of Your Gospel. I see Paul was an unashamed man. Would You make me like Him? I pray for boldness and courage. Rid me of fear and show me how to be like him.
“it groweth up”
But what a blessing that Your kingdom has grown to be what it is today. Your kingdom has expanded throughout much of the earth. Would You please guard Your kingdom against false teachers? Guard the purity of the Gospel and Your Word.
I pray for Your Gospels advance into the world.
“and becometh greater than all herbs”
Your Kingdom is truly greater than all the kingdoms of the earth. You and You alone are God. You and You alone are Lord. You created the heavens and the earth. You created the stars and the moons. You have made the seas and the skies. There is none like You.
You are far above the heavenly host. Of Jesus, it has been said that to Him has been given a kingdom and dominion which shall never pass away. It is Jesus Who will sit and rule on the throne of David throughout all eternity.
Your kingdom is free of sin. Your kingdom is marked by holiness and joy in the Holy Spirit. I pray that Your kingdom would come in greater measure.
“and shooteth out great branches”
Father, I thank You that You have promised to be a source of protection for me. Sometimes I feel as though I need to try and fight all my battles. But, while You have called me to fight in a war, You have also said that You will be my place of refuge.
When I look upon the growing kingdom and the branches that spread out into the world, I am struck with the reminder that You will be my place of refuge. When times get tough, I can hide under the shadow of Your wings.
You have benefited me greatly; words cannot express how deeply thankful I am. You have provided much more than I deserve, but Your refreshing braches continue to reach into my life and bless me with more grace.
“so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it”
You have told me in the book of Ezekiel 17:23 that You would plant Your kingdom in Israel. You have said to me that it would bring forth boughs and that it would bear much fruit. You have also told me that the birds of the air would dwell under the shadow of its branches.
I see in the fowls of the air the inclusion of the Gentiles into Your kingdom. In the fowls of the air, I see Your great mercy to those who needed salvation. Thank You for shedding Your mercy abroad. You have been good to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.