Loving God, you nourish us by your Spirit and call us to live our lives in your presence, following the example of Jesus. We come to you seeking that nourishment today and ask that you would renew us in body, mind, and spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I once participated in a course in which various exercises were used in order for the participants to get to know one another better. One of these exercises asked each person to imagine him or herself as a tree. And so, if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? This is not an idle question, but comes straight out of the Scripture readings for today, and is in fact a very spiritual question. It is a question of spiritual health and of bearing fruit and of where we have been planted.

For example, our Psalm today talks about being planted in the house of the Lord (Ps. 92:12). Those who remain in God's presence will flourish there, and will bear fruit even in old age, and will be green and succulent. Like a palm tree or a cedar from Lebanon they will live long and prosper. These are the people who strive for righteousness and who are always aware of being in the presence of God.

Another psalm also talks about being planted in the house of God, but this time it is as a green olive tree (Ps. 52:8). People who are like green olive trees trust in God's steadfast love, and thank God for all that God has done, and proclaim the name of the Lord so that others will hear about God's goodness.

One more image comes from the prophet Jeremiah, which is talking once again about those who put their trust in God:

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit" (Jer. 17:7-8).

Once again, it is where the tree is planted that matters. It is close to the water - close to the Lord. Spiritually speaking, there is extra strength there for tough times - a source of nourishment even when it is dry all around. I can't help but think of the streams of living water that Jesus spoke about (Jn. 7:38). He was referring to the Holy Spirit, who gives us new life.

And so, if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Are you green and growing, or all dried up? Are you firmly planted in the presence of God, or shriveling up from lack of nourishment? Do you reach out to God as the source of your strength, or do you look only to yourself?

Although certainly these are questions for everybody today, it is a day especially to ask those of you who are fathers what the source of your strength is. It is a day to acknowledge that fathers need a source of strength. It is a day to acknowledge that fatherhood is a very high calling, and a vocation for which God provides. Certainly, you can try to do it on your own, just as all of us can try to do everything on our own. However, your children will best be able to grow and to flourish when you yourselves are nourished by God's Spirit.

Now, I do need to make it clear that today is not about lifting up some ideal image of what a father should be and then making everybody feel guilty for not measuring up. If we go back to the tree image for a moment, there might be some of you here today who are feeling like you're all dried up and worn out - no greenery, no new growth, and no water to feed the roots. Well, the good news is that God is the one with the power to bring you back to life.

God is the one with the power to cut down the trees that have gotten too tall and proud or to help the little trees to grow. God is the one with the power to make dry trees flourish (Ezek. 17:24). God is the one who promises that those who put their trust in him will have an undying source of strength. And so, the message for all of us, and especially for fathers today is to put our trust in God. We are called to trust in the Lord, plant ourselves in God's presence and make sure that we are rooted in him. We are also reminded that in Christ, God has made us a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). God is the one who plants us by streams of living water. We only need to allow God to do it, and to acknowledge what a precious gift of salvation we have been given through Jesus Christ. God does the rest, and God gives the growth.

This is just as true when we are planting seeds. To me, this is an image that works for fatherhood as well as for the life of the church. Really, aren't fathers always planting seeds in the life of their children? The only question is what kind of seeds are being planted. Seeds of violence will quite likely grow more violence. Seeds of disapproval and belittlement grow into children who don't much like themselves. Seeds of disinterest and apathy will grow children who think that they don't matter and nobody cares.

On the other hand, seeds of affirmation and loving guidance grow into children who know that they matter and that their parents care about their well-being. Seeds of faith have the potential to grow into an even stronger faith. Seeds of love and of discipline that both teaches and affirms can help children to grow in love and in respect for themselves and for other people.

However, once again, it is God who gives the growth in all that is good, just as it is God who gives the growth in the church and in the kingdom. Our job is to plant seeds and to water (cf. 1 Cor. 3:6). And when we plant seeds and we water, we don't always know what is going to be produced by this activity. Jesus talked about the mustard seed, which is indeed one of the smallest seeds there is. He talks about that seed and about how amazing it is that a large bush can grow from that seed. Just in case you're wondering, mustard in Palestine could grow to be about the height of a horse & rider. So you've got this little seed, and this great shrub. And Jesus says: This is what the kingdom of God is like (Mk. 4:30-32).

Perhaps one way to think of it is where that seed is Jesus himself. That seed is the message that God loves us so much that he would save us through the life, death and resurrection of his Son. Every time we communicate that message to another person, whether in word or in deed, we are planting seeds. And we never know what might grow from that seed.

We do know, though, what the seed of Jesus Christ is likely to produce when fully grown: It's going to produce somebody who resembles Jesus in a number of different ways. That person is going to know how much God loves them, and not just them, but all of humanity. That person is going to know how much every person and every piece of creation is valued by God. That person is going to love God above all else and love others by serving them. That person is going to see clearly how sin tears people apart from one another and apart from God. That person is going to give thanks to God for all that is good, even as they bring before God the needs of others.

Now, is any one person going to do all of this perfectly? - Of course not. If you did, your name would be Jesus. Yet, the Holy Spirit is given to us to help us to grow up into Christ, in spite of our human frailties and failings. The Holy Spirit is given in order to make us into that new creation that is in Christ. We do not have to do it on our own, and we can't do it on our own. That's why Jesus came in the first place.

And so, reach out to God for nourishment and plant yourself firmly in God's presence. Allow God to give the growth and allow the Spirit of God to guide you and to strengthen you. And above all, keep on planting seeds. Keep on planting the seed of Jesus Christ. Allow it to grow in your own life and in the lives of your children. There is no other way for us to grow up into Christ - who is the fullest and greatest sign of God's desire to save us and to claim us as his own. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Proper 6(B) - Father's Day Psalm 92:1-4, 11-14
June 18, 2006 Mark 4:26-34
St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church Ezekiel 17:22-24
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore
? 2006 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved