Seeds are small and insignificant. Yet they have God’s life in them. A life that can only be fulfilled when they die. When a seed dies it lies dormant in the ground before bursting forth with life to fulfill its purpose as a plant, a tree, a flower, vegetables, or grain. All of creation is abundantly blessed with the beauty, the aroma and the usefulness of the transformed seed. When that seed dies and comes to life again, the seed not only is a blessing but it produces many new seeds which go on to be blessings. But more than that the new life that springs from a seed brings glory to God.

In the same way, in the grand scheme of creation each of us are like a seed in nature and have God’s life in us. Each of us have the opportunity to be an abundant blessing with the beauty, aroma and fruitfulness of our lives to all of creation, but only if in faith we follow the path of Jesus.

The path Jesus walked is the path that rejects self-autonomy and self-desires and chooses to daily surrender to devotion and obedience to God’s will. The path Jesus walked rejects the false truth of our importance in this world, and in faith believes the truth that we are priceless treasures and God’s children.

The path Jesus walked is the path of humility, self-sacrifice, and selflessness. The path Jesus walked can only be walked by dying to love of self and embracing a life of love for our Savior and love for all of his Creation.

The path Jesus walked is the path that leads to the cross. A seed’s life is not over when it falls into the ground and dies, instead that is the beginning of the seed’s new life. In the same way Jesus’ life wasn’t over at the cross. Jesus sprung to resurrection life 3 days later so that we who believe in him might enjoy the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Our lives do not end when we surrender our will, our desire, our selves at the cross. At the cross our life begins anew forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. At the cross we spring to newness of life and become a blessing to many.

The cross wasn’t an easy choice for Jesus. His heart was troubled as he wrestled with choosing to follow the way of the cross. Yet in faith Jesus boldly cries out “Father, glorify your name!” (John 12:28). Before he had time to take another breath, God, his Father replied with the assurance that He had glorified Jesus name, and with the promise that He would glorify Jesus name.

The cross isn’t always an easy choice for us. But when we in faith surrender our lives to God, God gives us a glorious new name as assurance that we are now his child and an heir of his Kingdom. When we surrender our lives to God, God promises that when we get to Heaven we will have glorified bodies and live forever.

When we submit to the way of the cross, Satan is cast out of our heart, and our Redeemer the Holy Spirit, our creator dwells within us. The devil will continue to assault us, and try to deceive us, but now he can only assault and deceive from without. God, dwelling within us, speaks to us through his Spirit so that we don’t consent to Satan’s temptations.

When we reject our claim to autonomy and self-control and submit to God’s control over our lives we are no longer defined by what we do, or our work environment. Then God knows us as his children.

When we reject the way of rebellion to God’s will, when we detach ourselves from all the things of this world including the good things, the idols we worship, our addictions and our self-love, we are no longer defined by what people say about us or are talking about. Then we are defined by God’s love for us which enables us to unconditionally love those around us.

When we have rejected the false claim of self in this world which is in rebellion against God, we no longer are defined by fear, because God’s perfect love drives away all fear. As God’s children our life and our future is safe in God’s unchanging hands.

The way of the cross is more than just a transaction with God, it is the continual experience of God’s intimate love relationship with us. Choosing the way of the cross brings the joy and blessing of being with the Father through our union with Christ.

Jesus invites you today to come away from the loneliness of living as a single seed separated from God to a life of fruitfulness by dying to yourself and embracing in faith the love of God.