Comfort: Parable of Yeast

“And again he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” – Luke 13:20-21

As a mother of two I find myself wanting to protect my children from the bumps and hardships of life. At the same time, I long for them to grow into spiritually mature adults, who love God and the people around them in equal measure. As an adult now in my 50’s, I can clearly see how difficulties in my own past have brought about compassion and new understandings in my life.  It feels counterintuitive to accept that adversity, when placed in the loving care of the Holy Spirit, can be transformed into spiritual expansion in our lives.

I do not believe that God causes difficult situations in our lives in order to grow our faith. There are many ways to move towards God and they are not all negative and painful in nature. But, if we stay open to it, hardship can be transformed into spiritual growth. Trying to understand God’s love, grace, and mercy at work in our lives is mysterious.  Of course there are always practical steps we can take, but transformation is a mix of our openness and God’s mysterious mercy mixed together.  In Luke, Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of God is like yeast.  While it looks impossible, yeast has the capacity, with time and intention, to completely change the final outcome of a mass of dough.

May our lives and hardships similarly be changed by the daily presence of God’s Spirit.

God, I submit my life into your hands.  May your mercy transform my wayward paths and responses, so that over time I would be a reflection of your love in the world.

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Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

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