“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-23 NIV
Sometimes a parable can become so familiar it’s easy to miss its personal application. We usually think about the parable of the sower only in terms of the lost hearing the gospel message and either accepting Christ (good soil) or eventually turning from him. Yet it applies to the seasoned believer as well. God speaks His word to Christians again and again. Sometimes when I hear His voice I embrace it, let it grow in my heart, let it change me and produce much fruit in my life. But at other times, I am the hard like the path. I hear the word, but I don’t receive it, even though I am a Christian, and Satan loves to steal it away. Sometimes I’m the rocky soil. I hear God’s voice and receive it with joy, but get distracted and it never really takes root. And sadly, sometimes I am like the thorny ground and I allow the message to get choked out by other things. How about you? Can you relate? What’s the last word you received from the Lord? Maybe it was in a sermon yesterday, or your Bible reading this morning. Will you allow it to take root, think about it, treasure it, remember it, apply it? Or will you get distracted and busy with life and will it eventually be snatched away or choked out. I believe we need to keep our hearts in the condition of good soil. Treasure God’s voice when He speaks and make fruitfulness our goal. It’s not something that happens automatically just because we’ve made Jesus our Lord. We need to be intentional. Listen to way the prophet Hosea said it.
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 NIV
How do we plow the hard ground that can develop in our hearts? Hosea gives us two great methods: sow righteousness, and seek the Lord. As we intentionally focus on the word of God and allow it to sink deep into the soil of our hearts, we find it has the power to soften us. We begin to see things as God sees them and to respond as He would respond. That’s all part of sowing righteousness into our lives. Likewise as we seek the Lord in prayer, we afford Him opportunity to touch our hearts, to plow through the hard places and to water the seeds that have been planted. Or as Hosea puts it, to shower His righteousness on us!
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