As for that in the good soil,

      they are those who,

hearing the Word,

hold it fast

  in an honest and good heart,

and bear fruit

       with patience.

               Luke 8. 15

(The seed

    is the Word of God.

Dig deep,

hold it fast,

nurture it

    every way you can,

and let it ripen.

God bears the fruit,

far beyond

    what we can conceive

or see,

or imagine,

deeper than our lifetimes.)

O LORD,

Keep us faithful

   in preparing the soil

   all around us,

even that which appears

       a bleak landscape,

You redeem.

Keep us faithful

   in sowing Your Word

in the lives of others

    and in our own,

no matter what.

Even now.

Even in this.

Even bearing fruit

     we will never see

     until the Other Side.