The Kernel

I have been pondering a scripture…

John 12:24

(NLT) I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

(Easy-to-Read) It is a fact that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die before it can grow and produce much more wheat. If it never dies, it will never be more than a single seed.

As I have pondered this, I have recognized the truth of dying to self. Dying to how things have been. Dying to ideals I have had. Dying to what was. Dying to my rights. I think the list could continue…but generally it is dying to “me” to pursue something greater. I could continue to live life as I have always lived it. I could fight to have things not change. I could fight to hold onto what I have known or planned. But is that what I really want? If I don’t let things die, I can never know more.

It is right to stand and fight the good fight of faith when we know the will of God and can see that the enemy, through circumstances in this world, is trying to steal, kill, or destroy. But I am talking about something different. I am talking about letting God’s will and plan dominate, not mine. I am talking about letting go of those things that need to change and trusting God to work and bring His good to pass.

One of the things that I have had to face is the change of our family Zoom calls. Living overseas has challenges, and for me these calls have been a lifeline for our family connection. It is something that I think God did lead me to do for a season, and it worked very well with precious moments shared. Now, with changes in our family through the life of one of our sons, this is changing. This is not necessarily dying, but it is changing, and the connection as I had known it is something I must let go of and let die. But in that dying process, I commit our family into the hands of the Lord. I commit myself and my emotional well-being into His hands. I think of the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 1:12--because I know the one I have put my trust in. And I am sure that he is able to protect what I have put into his care until that Day. (Easy-to-Read)

Now there is a promise connected to this dying…

When a seed is planted in the ground so that it can die, it will sprout and produce life! There will come a harvest from the seed that died. And that harvest will bring great rejoicing with it! It will expand and be much more than it could have been as a single kernel.