“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.'”
Matthew 13:31-32
These practices could connect us to the environment, to local resources, and to the wealth that God provided when he placed us in our environment. The disconnection between modern humanity and the land has caused us to lose our roots. This may be in some part the cause a loss of purpose and health. Some landing or grounding practices at home could include household chores (Think brother Lawrence, doing the dishes.) Gardening and landscaping as a spiritual practice of contemplation. Household maintenance or work in the garage could remind us of how God provides and maintains our lives. Walk the your neighborhood
Try these practices. 1) Prayer Walking: A way to align yourself with Christ’s heart by praying for the people and places you walk. (Pilgrimage and running too) Jesus’ passion and our journeys have many parallels. 2) Meditation: Gazing deeply on God through the written Word and creation. A word, a phrase, a sentence, what does it say about God, you, or some other aspect of creation? 3) Stewardship: Managing resources — time, talent, and possessions, to honor God and promote the kingdom. (Ecology, conservation, finance) God is the owner, we are merely the managers, the stewards of our wealth and His creation.
Here’s some more from scripture about the land: Here are some related passages that connect the themes of seeds, growth, and harvest found in Genesis 1:9-13 to various passages in the Christian Scripture.
Luke 8:11: “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”
Mark 4:31-32: “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
1 Corinthians 15:38-39: “But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.”
James 3:18: “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Photo by Omer Nezih Gerek on Unsplash