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Today's reading from the Gospel of Mark is part of a group of parables that Jesus taught along the Sea of Galilee.(Mark 4)

Jesus speaks about seeds and growth. The seeds are just seeds, nothing special about them. In fact, the second parable mentions that it is like a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds.

The soil is just soil. Nothing special about place or type of soil (that is an earlier parable Jesus tells in Mark 3).

It is just seeds and soil.

AND THERE IS GROWTH.

Seeds in soil lead to growth. Growth is a given. The seeds are a given. The kingdom of God is like a place where seeds are and soil is and there is growth.

Jesus began his ministry in Mark by saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news." (Mark 1:15)

The kingdom of God is- and  it is near.

It may be seen by how care and life and growth are shown and known to others- after all the small mustard seed grows up so that it might give shade and nesting spaces to birds.

The seeds of the manna bags, the Cup of Cold Water ministry, the G.R.A.C.E. Center, Community Connections ministries, and all of the other ways we seek to live in grace are signs of growth from that seed that is the kingdom of God in our midst. May we continue to nurture its growth so more may know that the kingdom is near, and that God's grace is here.