The Scripture order is, “first the natural and then the spiritual.” As we know there are many examples of natural things that enable us to perceive spiritual truth. We will begin now by looking at a natural example with spiritual implications.
Have you ever heard of, “Delayed Implantation?” I hadn’t until a friend told me what he learned about it in the life of the Grizzle Bear early this summer of 2010. As I listened, I began to think of spiritual applications, however, to understand it and apply it spiritually we need to have a quick look at the technical meaning. Please stay with me and I’ll keep it as simple as I can.
Most of us know that to reproduce another of one’s kind, be it human or animal, that following sexual intercourse the sperm swim up past the uterus to the fallopian tubes where the fertilized egg is then carried down into the uterus. The successfully fertilized egg develops into a multi-celled blastocyte and in time travels down to the uterus where it attempts to attach itself to the wall to begin development into a living being after its kind.
Delayed Implantation is a phenomenon that increases the gestation period of some animals such as bears, seals, weasels, etc. until the time is favorable to give birth. The bear is impregnated in the spring, feeds all summer long until it is fat thus giving it a good food supply for the tiny infant predestined to be born in the winter. In the late fall the dormant blastocyst travels to, and implants itself in the wall of the mother’s uterus. After a brief gestation period the infant bear is born and nourishes from the mother’s food supply until spring. However, if the bear doesn’t have enough food stored, or conditions are otherwise unfavourable, the blastocyst will be aborted.
How many of us have experienced something like delayed implantation in our lives? Our Father has given us a promise. We expect results then or very soon. Nothing happens. Is something wrong? We have a heavenly chat. We get told, “I know, I know all about it. Leave it alone. I’ll do it in my time.” This is what I got one time when I was 100% positive about my needed healing for headaches and back problems was then. Delayed implantation! Years later I no longer have that kind of devastating headaches or the back problems I had.
Another personal experience was from the time in 1956 when hands were laid upon me in 1956 by presbytery ministry. Of the few things I remembered was, “You will return to your own country and minister from cost to coast.” I had no intention of returning to Canada and in fact I soon enlisted in the US Air Force. It was in the early 1980's that I began to minister across Canada having retuned in 1961. Again — Delayed implantation. The prophetic seed was planted and about 25 years later, after some years when the implantation had taken effect, that aspect of ministry was birthed and I began to travel across the country.
We know that seeds don’t all have the same germination period. Some geminate instantly, others may lay dormant for years. Some seeds can only be released following a fire, such as the Jack Pine. The heat causes the pine cone to fall to the ground and release the seeds for germination bringing forth new forest life. Every seed carries the germ of life, the genetic material, to reproduce after it’s kind. The human seed takes nine months (after five to seven days of delayed implantation). Seeds are planted into death, then spring forth in resurrection life. Spiritually the result is a life taking shape in the appearance and likeness of Christ The Seed! Our Father is not bound to our human idea of how things work. He knows the end from the beginning and we are reminded that, “He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10 NKJV.
Several years ago I received a CD with Linda Musgrove singing a song which spoke to my spirit called, “God’s seed is in all humanity.” One scripture that confirms this is Acts 17:28-29 and Romans 11:26 speaks of mankind’s circularity, with Ecclesiastes 12:5 telling of our spirit’s return to God our creator. In truth, we have been birthed out from God and in due time will return to God. It is surely confusing, when one considers the wickedness within mankind, how the “seed” of God can be present in all of us. We do of course judge after the natural and not the spiritual which often blinds us to truth. We need to remember that a seed need not be seen to be present, with some being minuscule, nor does a seed need to be showing signs of life/germination. It just needs to be. God has the master plan for it embedded in it’s DNA.
There are lessons from the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-23) to help us. It was only the seed sown in the good soil that germinated and continued to grow because the soil was prepared to receive the seed. The seed was always good, but the condition of the soil was often unready for the seed, so it didn’t germinate or last long if it did.
Dare we assume that because the soil was unprepared at first planting that the hard soil can’t later be broken up and the stones and thistle removed for later planting? Just think of the times when we weren’t ready for some spiritual advancement, yet our Lord graciously prepared our hearts until we are ready to receive and grow.
An old chorus comes to mind with lines like, “Have I not promised and will I not fulfill? Every promise I have given is my perfect will.” One is reminded of those “heros of faith” in Hebrews who had received the promise — there was a spiritual fertilization — yet, they died in faith — the blastocyte was still in the fallopian tube — that they without us should not come to perfection. Following the seed promise to Adam and Eve there was Delayed Implantation. In due time the Seed was implanted, the baby was born, lived, died and was resurrected. But more, on the Day of Pentecost, the infant was born — the church, the ever growing body of Christ and in due time, there will be the ultimate glorification of our Father with a vast throng of sons like unto his Firstborn Son.
But as I live, in very truth the glory of the LORD shall fill the earth. Numbers 14:21 NEB.