I am trying to take Proverbs 31 to heart and get my tired behind out of bed before the sun comes up (spurred on by "Creative Counterpart" by Linda Dillow, a must-read for wives). This morning, after transplanting my above-mentioned behind from my warm bed to the cool office (sans my usual cup of hot strawberry tea with milk and sugar because we ran out of drinking water last night) I read the following verse:
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24)
The Son of Man said this just before his famous death, referring, of course, to himself as the kernel of wheat. All of us who believe are the many seeds resulting from the death of the original kernel.
This verse also applies to martyrdom (remember the movie End of the Spear), but it pertains to me, too. I believe in the message of John 3:16, therefore I am going to Heaven. However, what good is that to anyone but myself? As a single seed, unwilling to fall, unwilling to yield to change, I shall remain a single seed.
I say "NO!" I am not satisfied with that. And so I pray:
FELL ME.
DESTROY MY SHELL.
BREAK ME OPEN.
BREAK ME DOWN.
FROM WHAT IS LEFT OF ME, GROW FOR YOURSELF A FIELD OF BELIEVERS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.
