“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.” Matt. 13:33
Lord Jesus, with fresh sourdough bread being delivered to my home this morning, your illustration about Kingdom-yeast is timely and encouraging. A little yeast (sourdough-starter) mixed into 3 measures of wheat (50 pounds) will yield about 60 loaves of bread—(what a disproportionate outcome). This story is awesome on many levels.
It’s a parable of trust and hope. This woman trusted in the permeating, transforming power of yeast. Her hope wasn’t wishful thinking, but patient anticipation. You call us to the same patient anticipation with regard to the advancing of the Gospel and growth of your Kingdom. There is NO chance you won’t finish the work you began, Jesus.
As Bread from Heaven and the Bread of Life (John 6:22-29), your Kingdom-yeast is the starter, middler, finisher of God’s grand story of redemption, restoration, and new creation. Unlike those little yellow packets of yeast we keep in our refrigerators, there’s no expiration date on Kingdom-yeast. Jesus we don’t always see it, but you are presently making all things new and beautiful.
We are waiting on tiptoes with joy (sometimes flatfooted with vexation) for the fullness of your Kingdom to arrive in our broken world. On a cosmic and “glocal” level (local + global), we are ready for the fiefdoms of men to collapse under the weightiness, perfection, and beauty of your Kingdom.
On a personal level, Jesus, give us the same trust and hope for our hearts and relationships. Your Kingdom is within us and among us (Lk.17:21). Knead more of your grace into our very real needs. We are ready to be 100% like you, Jesus. And we are ready for your Spirit’s work to be complete in the lives of our loved ones and our web of relationships. As our “Potter,” “Baker,” Savior, and King, we yield to your heart, hands, and timetable. So Very Amen.
