Day 21 of Lent: March 28, 2025

Ashes to Alleluia: A Devotional on Luke 13:18–19

“Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’”

— Luke 13:18–19

Reflection:

The kingdom of God doesn’t always show up in thunderclaps or trumpet fanfares. Sometimes, it begins as something almost invisible—a mustard seed, no bigger than a speck of dust.

Jesus tells us that this is how God’s kingdom works. From the smallest thing—overlooked, unremarkable, buried beneath the soil—life can burst forth. From the mess and the muck and the ash of this world, something holy can grow.

That mustard seed doesn’t bloom overnight. It’s pressed down into dirt. It weathers storms. It’s forgotten for a time. But still, the miracle happens: it takes root. It rises. And one day, it becomes a shelter wide enough for birds to rest in its branches and sing songs sweeter than any soprano on the planet.

This is the rhythm of Ashes to Alleluia:

God takes what seems too small, too broken, too buried—

and brings life from it.

Beauty from ashes.

Shelter from sorrow.

Hope from a seed.

And not just any life, but a life that holds others. A life where others can find rest. A life that makes music—songs of joy and grace and belonging.

Even when we feel like the soil is too dry, the world too heavy, or the seed too small, the promise still holds: The kingdom of God is growing. Quietly. Faithfully. Unstoppably.

Prayer:

God of mustard seeds and miracles,

Plant your kingdom deep within us.

In the places that feel lifeless,

in the soil of sorrow,

in the ashes of disappointment,

let your life take root.

Grow something beautiful in us—

a place where joy can perch,

where others can find rest,

where Alleluia can rise again.

Amen.