In the Parable of the Sower Jesus (Luke 8:5-15) tells of a farmer who set out to sow seeds. Some seeds feel along the path, some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorns, and some fell on good soil. He goes on to tell his disciples that the seed represents the word of God. Jesus is actually describing four kinds of Christ-followers and how they "sow" the word of God into their lives.
The parable begs the question, "What are you doing with your seeds?" In other words, what are you doing with the Word of God in your life?
Have your seeds
fallen along the path? You hear the word yet you allow someone else to remove it from your heart. Have the seeds fallen along the path of your busyness and are left lying dormant waiting to be picked up again and re-planted?
Are your seeds on
rocky ground? Maybe you’re joyful about God’s word and work for a while but it’s all a bit superficial. It doesn’t last long because the seeds haven’t really taken root.
Are your seeds among the
thorns? You hear the word of God. You’ve heard it and you've read it. You've even studied in it how to cope with life and how to develop a strong relationship with God, but you give in to your weaknesses – your worries, materialism, worldy pleasures.
Or have they
fallen on good soil? If so, Jesus says you have a noble and good heart. You hear God’s word, retain it and produce a crop. You internalize what you read and hear. You move forward in your relationship in faith and as a result you are producing good works.
When I taught high school students, I found many of them had a misunderstanding of how to prepare for tests. They thought if they glanced over the material and memorized some facts, they would be prepared. I told them good preparation means you internalize the information. You make it a part of you. The same principle applies for living out the Word of God.
We can read it and we can memorize some verses, but we need to internalize it and make it a part of us. When we do so, we'll have seed that's "fallen on good soil." Oh, what a crop it will produce!
What is the next step for you to consider in order to plant your seed in good soil?
- Taking time to meditate on God’s Word?
- Spending intentional time in prayer?
- Acting on God's promptings?
- Journaling?
- Writing your prayers?
- Spending more time in service – doing the Word?
- Walking in the Word?
- Listening?
It's planting time!
In the Parable of the Sower Jesus (Luke 8:5-15) tells of a farmer who set out to sow seeds. Some seeds feel along the path, some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorns, and some fell on good soil. He goes on to tell his disciples that the seed represents the word of God. Jesus is actually describing four kinds of Christ-followers and how they "sow" the word of God into their lives.
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