It's Me Again God

69. The Seed

It's me again God,

How wonderful it must have been, to be part of the crowds that were able to hear You speak Jesus! Afterwards, I imagine the people must have gone on their way, talking about what they had heard and in the case of the parables, trying to make sense of the metaphors and the possible layers of meaning. Here in this parable, You explain the meaning but outline the fact that not everyone will understand!

"While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground 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 the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:4-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Agricultural parables gave the people of that time, familiar images and ideas to think about. Here Jesus, You use a seed to represent the Word of God.  A seed has enormous power to generate life - so too the Word of God! But as in farming, sometimes the seed was subject to conditions that were not ideal, so it could fail to produce the expected growth and maturity.

There is a real challenge to us as we read this parable as we all want to have the good soil for the seed to fall on. When Your Word is preached, we want to hear it, retain it and bear fruit. Lord please cultivate the soil of our hearts, that Your Word will have the best effect in our lives.

Lord I used to only see this parable as a picture of the various people who hear Your Word and either respond to it and become mature Christians or not. Perhaps you also need us to see ourselves in each of the four situations in this parable.

There are times in our lives when we are like the path - as quickly as we hear Your Word, it's potential power is stamped out or taken away. Lord protect us from the schemes of the enemy, who tries to take away the Word from our hearts. (See Ephesians 6:10-18) May we allow Your Word to take root as we spend time with You each day and seek to put You first in our lives, remembering all we have in You.

Like the seed falling on rocky ground, we sometimes have flashes of enthusiasm and we believe for a while but seem to lose faith in certain areas, when times of testing come.  Help us to remember to come to You in easy and difficult times and to stand on all the promises in Your Word.

Also like the seed among the thorns, we can hear the Word but be caught up in the worries of life and sidetracked by the many pleasures of this world. This can eventually choke out Your Word and our fruitfulness. Lord help us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on You!

I am challenged more than ever to be the good soil - to have a noble, good heart, to hear the Word and retain it and persevere to produce a harvest for You! Please help me. Show me how I can prepare myself to be the good soil, to prepare my heart and mind. Let me throw off everything that hinders, so I can allow You to work in me Holy Spirit.

For Your glory,
Amen.