Monday, April 17

Good dirt

Scripture: Luke 8

Luke 8:11–15 “Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away.14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

Observation

Jesus tells this story about the seed of the word of God falling on four types of soil. I assume that He tells it as a warning and an encouragement. The warning is to make us aware of what might keep us from receiving the word and bearing fruit. The encouragement is to be good soil that bears fruit.

The four soils are the hardened path (the devil takes away the word); the shallow soil (no root so it withers under trouble); the crowded or weedy soil (choked by the pleasures and worries of life); and the good soil (clings to the word with steadfast endurance and bears fruit). 

Application

Here are three adversaries that can rob us of faith: the devil, trouble, pleasure. 

      • The devil can lie to us, sow the seeds of doubt, or make us hardhearted—there is a spiritual battle going on for your soul. I’ve seen people reject the gospel without giving it an honest hearing. I’ve also seen people abandon their faith—just stop believing it’s true (eg, deconstruction). 
      • If our faith is shallow, it can be crushed by trouble or hardship. I’ve seen people who lost their faith when something bad happened to them or someone they love. “How could God let this happen?” A rootless faith won’t hold up under hardship. 
      • Our lives can get so crowded with worries, riches and pleasures that our faith is slowly choked out. I’ve seen people get so busy in the pursuit of success, money or fame that their faith gets slowly strangled. Jesus takes a back seat to their other pursuits.

Of course, I want to be good soil that bears fruit—and I want that for everyone I meet, know and love. Part of being that good soil is being aware of the things that can harm my faith: the devil, trouble, pleasure. And part of it is clinging to God’s word with grit and endurance.

Prayer: Lord, I love You and I want my faith in You to be growing brighter and stronger, up and to the right for as long as I live. So help me to be good soil—and to resist the devil, put down deep roots, and not be choked or distracted by life, but to cling to the word and bear fruit by steadfast endurance!

More: Joshua 23-24, Proverbs 9, 1 Corinthians 4