Heart Soil

*NOTE:  First off, our Internet was down most of the week and that is my excuse for not posting for a little while. Secondly, while experiencing with drawls from computer time, I realized just how addicted I have become to checking email and blogger dashboards. Thirdly, having all this time without a computer to distract me and take up valuable time, I have really concentrated on spending time with my King and Savior, Jesus Christ.

During the Church meeting yesterday morning, a gentleman read the parable of the soils in Matthew 13. I was so challenged by the weighty message behind the simple words.

"Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.

He who has ears let him hear!.....

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes  and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and becomes unfruitful.

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears much fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."  Matthew 13: 1-9, 19-23

In this parable, as it is quite obvious, our heart is the soil; God's word is the seed. All the good church-going children have heard this parable no less than 23 times, but do we ever think about it's meaning?

As I sat there in the seat, within one very short moment of reflection, it was quite clear to me. Throughout the years, I myself have been in different places illustrated in the parable.  I have been the wayside, the stony ground and the thorny soil. While I could expound on each one(perhaps I will eventually), at this point, I see that most often, my heart has been all three of the less desirable soils and not the one good soil.

Over the past few months, God has put in my heart, a deep desire to bear much fruit and it is my prayer that God will make my heart into the good ground. Studying this parable only spurs me on!

Think about this parable... Take out 10 minutes of your day, read through Matthew 13: 1-23 several times and pray about it. Do some soul searching.

 For now, I ask: "What kind of soil are you?"