The Seeds We Sow - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—[many] times what was sown. Matthew 13:8

Today's Scripture
Matthew 13:1-9

Today's Devotional
Charles Smedley detested Christians. He hated when they came to his door to witness to him. When Sunday school teacher Ruth Tulley visited his family and invited them to church, he sneered: “I don’t have a suit to wear.” Ruth countered, “Will you come to church if you had one?” Smedley said, “Sure,” taking the bet. “Then,” Ruth replied, “I’m going to ask the Lord to send you a suit.” Smedley laughed.

The next day, Charles Smedley received an unexpected cheque in the post. His wife reminded him of his promise the day before. Smedley bought a suit.

When reading the parable of the soils, it’s useful to think of seeds as our words of faith to others: “A farmer went out to sow his [words]” (Matthew 13:3). Ruth Tulley, in visiting the unreceptive Charles Smedley, might have felt that her “[words] fell among thorns” (v. 7). She had to trust that God would somehow use her words. All Ruth could do was to pray for a suit.

Charles Smedley fufilled his promise to Ruth Tulley. He donned his new suit and went to church. There, he accepted Jesus as His Saviour, and soon his family was transformed by the gospel. His daughter Marti went on to become a prominent Christian author. We never know what soil our seeds of invitation will land on and, by the grace of God, sometimes sprout a garden.

Reflect & Pray
Who in your life seems like soil unsuited for the gospel? How might you offer them seeds of faith?

Lord God, please give me courage to witness to those who need You, and the right seeds to sow.

Today's Insights
In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9), Jesus tells a story about sowing the seed of the gospel message and how those who hear it respond. When we step out in faith and tell others about Christ, we plant a seed in their hearts and trust God to do the rest. We don’t need to fear because the Holy Spirit will give us the courage and words to say (Luke 12:11-12; John 14:26; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). He gave the apostles Peter and John the courage to stand before the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, and to speak boldly about Christ (Acts 4:1-12). The leaders marvelled that the apostles were “unschooled, ordinary men” (v. 13). Just as God gave them courage, He’ll do the same for us.

Bible in a Year

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Ken Petersen