Last week we considered dormancy of a seed. Dormancy is the period of time when a seed is at rest, inactive, and seemingly lifeless. Often we mistake dormancy for the absence of life, but as we now know the seed is alive and is awaiting optimal conditions to bring forth visible life. We have to know that dormancy is meant to be broken. A dormant seed is like “Sleeping Beauty” who is supposed to be awakened. Dormancy is not meant to be forever. If you are feeling dormant right now in your spiritual life and in God’s will, be encouraged because it is not permanent! Spiritual dormancy is only a step in the process of obtaining your harvest. Remember, life is in the seed!
The next step in the process is germination. Germination is dependent upon three factors: first, the embryo has to be alive; secondly, any dormancy requirements that prevent germination must be overcome; lastly, proper environmental conditions must exist for germination.
The hardness of the seed coat, the outer layer of the seed, is one of the dormancy factors that affects germination. Water must be able to reach the embryo of the seed to bring life forth. If the seed coat is extremely hard, then water is not able to easily pass through to the embryo. On the other hand, if the seed coat is very thin and permeable, then water is able to easily pass through and begin the process of germination. The seed coat can be compared to our flesh or stubbornness to the Lord and His will. The Pharisees are a great example of people who had a hard seed coat. They were full of the Old Testament word, but when the Word of God, Jesus, was before them, they were not able to discern Him because of their hardness of heart. Jesus sternly rebuked them when He said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”1 The Pharisees held to the tradition of men and refused to have their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit to whom and what they were seeing. Unfortunately, new life was never able to spring forth in their lives because of their hardness of heart.
Unlike the Pharisees, we need to diligently lift our hearts to the Lord to ask for a soft, teachable heart that holds no grudges, unforgiveness, and bitterness. These issues are sin and harden our hearts to the Lord and His will, as well as make it difficult for the seed planted within us to bring forth the life we greatly desire.
In the natural, a seed forms a specialized structure called the “water gap” to allow water into the seed so the process of germination can begin. At this point, the seed begins to imbibe or soak up water resulting in the embryo swelling and splitting the seed coat. The new seedling starts to grow roots into the soil. The best thing for our flesh, that part of us that does not have the divine influence of God, is to get in the presence of God and soak up His Spirit. By positioning ourselves in His Presence, we form a “water gap” to allow the Spirit of God to move upon our hearts. This imbibing of the Holy Spirit is biblical as Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be “filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit of God hovered over the depths of the earth and began to bring about the implementation of God’s plan of creation. He will also do this in our lives as we open our hearts to Him and to the truth He brings. New life will spring forth in us, the seed coat will split, and new growth will come into being as evidence of the internal work of God in our hearts.
Next week, we will look at God’s ways of dealing with a hard seed coat so that we can imbibe of His Spirit.
- John 5:39
