City Life Starter

Written by Nate Warren

The Word

27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

Matthew 13:27-30 (NKJV)

Reflection

One of the common questions about Christianity is, “Why would a good God allow evil to exist?” Another version goes, “Why is Jesus slow to wipe out evil once and for all?”

If I am to ask this question, then I should consider this: If today, God snapped his finger and eliminated all that is unrighteous in His creation, how much of me would remain? Who among those that I love or work with would even be spared?

God’s plan for the world is not condemnation to destruction, but to save it through the love and sacrifice of Jesus. Because of God’s mercy, He waits patiently for all of the “sons of the kingdom” to pledge their loyalty to King Jesus, and for all of us who have done so to mature into the fullness of His character. Jesus makes it clear in this parable that the immediate and decisive judgement of all evil would inevitably destroy the wheat, God’s chosen people, preventing it from ripening for harvest. This age of mercy will not last forever, though. Judgement is coming for all of creation, and evil will be bound up and dealt with.

Application

Take time today to thank God for this age of mercy, a time when we all have been born into existence and have been given the opportunity to be named Children of God.

Prayer

Father, let us see the wisdom of Your mercy, in this age, on those who practice evil. May Your Spirit work in us, overcoming evil by the love that You taught us, and bring about Your reign over hostile territory in our families, our campuses, our city, and in every nation, so that all who have ears to hear will hear, before the age is complete.

Amen