October 18, 2023 - Matthew 13:33

“Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33 NLT

Lord, yeast are very small things that we would think wouldn’t be able to do too much, but a little bit of yeast permeates and transforms. It causes the whole loaf to rise. You teach us in this passage that the kingdom slowly comes and gradually permeates a culture and changes it. Lord, how often do we not try because we don’t think we will make a difference or give up when we don’t see things happen quickly? Forgive us.

Lord, you can pour out your presence in big ways that cause major revivals. You can encounter people like Saul and in an instant transform them to Paul. But more often transformation doesn’t come in quick instances of direct encounters with you. They happen slowly as the lost encounter and do life alongside your followers. Help us walk out as yeast and do what you have called us to, even when it is hard and slow moving. We don’t want to choose to be flour like everyone else, just because it is easier. Flour will not cause the transformation of the bread rising. If we remain yeast and trust you, even if we don’t fully see what you are doing behind the scenes, you will cause transformation through us. The yeast doesn’t have to try and cause change, it happens naturally where they are present in the right environment. Lord, help us walk in obedience so we find ourselves in the right environments to see transformation. When we get to heaven and get to see behind the scenes, let us be so blown away when we see how our obedience made such a difference. We don’t want to get there and instead see all the missed opportunities to see transformation, because we chose to live as flour.

In Jesus name, amen.