Saturday, November 4, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading
Matthew 13:36–43

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (NRSV)

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Reflection

In this “Parable of the Weeds” Jesus explains that those who are good seeds, those who follow his ways, will have an eternal home in heaven while those who disregard God’s teachings will be eternally condemned. A key point is that in this parable the good seeds and the weeds are planted together and become greatly intertwined during their entire life cycle until those that followed God were separated out and saved by God’s angels at harvest time.

This is reflected in our world today. There are approximately 8 billion people currently in the world. So many exhibit love and compassion and are true blessings to others. At the same time, there are those among us that inflict such harm and pain (mass shootings, terrorist attacks, human trafficking, etc.). Often those who seek God’s ways are left wondering how can such evil continue to exist. The horror and heartbreak seem to never end.

But just when we think there is no justice, hope, or end to the suffering, we are reminded of God’s promise to save and have compassion on those who stay true to God. As the word says in Psalm 37:1–2 “We should not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”

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Prayer
Lord, we are so grateful for all those who choose to bless the world and pray for a change of heart for those who seek to destroy it. May we your children be good seeds during our days here on earth and not be discouraged by the words and actions of evildoers among us. We thank you for your grace and your promise of eternal life. Amen.

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Written by Michelle Epps, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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