“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.””
Matthew 13:1-9 NIV
How do you receive the Word Of God ? Has the Word become irrelevant in your life or less important than it was before ? Is the Word growing in your life and producing much fruit ? Is your heart a good soil for receiving the Word?
Jesus gives another important parable about the principle of seed-sowing and conditions necessary for growth . This parable alludes to our hearts as the soil and the seeds being the Word of God. There are four scenarios that Jesus explained to us and each can be likened to the different types people who hear the Word of God.
1. The Seeds on the Path – The seeds that fell on the path were not going to grow because they were not in the ideal place for seeds to grow. The birds came to eat it up. Many times when we hear God’s Word and we are disinterested or indifferent to it , there can be no true change . Nothing can grow . I once went to a young man to share the message of the gospel and before I could even finish a sentence , he had already formulated a counterattack for what I said . I quickly realized that the message at that time would not take root in his heart because he was not even ready to listen . Pray that your heart will always be ready ready to hear the Word.
2. The Seeds on the Rocky Places – These seeds grew for a while then died quickly thereafter because the shallow soil could not support the growing plant . Our hearts need to be washed continually with the Word of God and we need to go deeper in the Word to understand what it is saying to us specifically . It is true that that Sunday sermon was impactful but leaving our Bibles closed until the next time we step into a church is detrimental to our Christian walk . We need to have a deep understanding of the Word of God for it to have any real impact in our lives . Many people have a great start in reading the word but fail to go deeper in understanding . That is the moment that the impact of the Word will not be evident because we have not truly understood what it has said . Pray that we will always have a desire to go deeper in the Word of God.
3. The Seeds on the Thorns- The seeds that fell on the thorns were choked by the thorns . Our hearts respond to many different things and that is why the Bible advises us to guard or hearts
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23 NIV
There are many situations that want to choke the Word of God that you have heard . It can be friends , people who who love and look to for advice and possibly even a very difficult situation . Be encouraged to guard your heart. The Word of God that you have heard will only do anything if it is protected from extreme conditions in your life . God will do something amazing in your life as you keep his Word dear to your heart .
4. The Seeds on the Good Soil – These seeds fell on the right place . These seeds grew and became a great plant . When we allow our hearts to be a good soil , and continually water the ground of our hearts with spiritual things , that is where we see beautiful fruits . We can only become a good tree if we allow the Word of God to do its perfect work in our lives . Pray that we will be a good tree that is always ready to hear and do the Word of God !
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
James 1:22 NIV
Be blessed !
A Minute with Melissa 