Good morning Lord Jesus, breath the breath of Your Spirit into my body and renew my spirit.
“He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them. But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. The one who has ears had better listen!” (Matthew 13:3-9)
As I read the parable of the Sower, I could discern on the different soil types like many sermons do, and reflect on what is the the soil condition of my heart?
Am I that thorny person? Am I that Rocky or Shallow hearted person?
Am I the hard hearted person? Or am I the good soiled person?
When Jesus talks about this parable and our lives: I could also take the Pharasitical approach:
Well I thank God I am not like that hard hearted person over there. I may have a few briars, but I thank God I am not like the thorny persons over there. Or even worse, I thank God I have a perfect heart.
Well if I took a spiritual snap shot of your heart right now, a spiritual photo, I guess it could be true that at this moment perhaps you heart is hardened now on some point or another. Or you may have a rocky heart, or a thorny, choking heart now, or a good heart now.
But life is not a static snap shot is it, it is a moving picture. There are times in our lives that we can’t hear God’s word, sometime we won’t hear it. Some times we hear it, and we lose it. There are times that anxieties and fears choke it. Sometimes we receive it with Joy..
See, When you hear this parable and read the story about the seed that falls one the path and is eaten up, when you hear it you should say, That’s me!
When you hear about the story of how the seed fell on rocky places and there was shallowness, and the first time, persecution or suffering comes you fell away: you should say that’s me too.
When you hear the story about how one receives the Word and lets the worries of the world and materialism choke it away, you should say: That’s me too.
And when you hear the story of the seed falling on the good soil and it produces fruit 30x, 60x, 100x, you should say praise God that’s me too!!!
For you see this parable has never been called the parable of the soils. It is of the sower. It is a parable about the sower. God is sowing his seed into the world, his sowing was behind all the past saints, and behind the present and future saints, you and me, sowing into the world. God's never ending, wild, persistent sowing! The real story is that God’s sowing is more consistent than the Devil’s snatching. His sowing is more powerful than the devil’s eating. His sowing is more enduring than the devil’s tribulation. His sowing is more persistent then the devil’s choking. The real good news of this parable is that God is the great extravagant sower in all the world.
My family, What if we actually formed a church who’s heart breaks for the lost, and that was concerned that one marvelous day, when we stand together in the new earth among the millions before the lamb and worship him, that because of our extravagant sowing into their lives, our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, family members, and others in our communities are there as well, along side us proclaiming:
That God’s sowing is more consistent than the Devil’s snatching!
His sowing is more powerful than the devil’s eating!
His sowing is more enduring than the devil’s tribulation!
His sowing is more persistent then the devil’s choking!
In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
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