Luke 8
The Parable of the Sower
4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Every time I read the Parable of the Sower recorded in Luke chapter 8, I glean something new. Something that draws my attention like never before and it makes me eager to share with you.
Let us keep in mind who was telling this parable, Jesus. I don’t know about you but whenever Jesus spoke in parables it makes me push to find the insight, the nuggets buried between each syllable, and what was the lesson He wanted to get across. This parable has a kaleidoscope of perplexities waiting to be unearthed if we’re willing to dig. Actually, I want to focus on the earth or better yet the soil which is extremely important to what kind of results was gained. In fact, only one type of soil produced the optimal outcome and that was the good soil.
What is good soil? That is the question I’ve been pondering especially as I view it from my own experience with gardening which is very limited. Last year I planted tomatoes for the very first time, I ended up learning in hindsight that I hadn’t prepared the soil properly for my tomato plants before they were planted. When harvest time came little to no fruit was produced. The soil wasn’t ready to receive and sustain the plants therefore most of the seeds didn’t germinate even though I cared and nourished them daily, not preparing the soil cost me in the long run.
Well looking at this parable the same holds true for this seed, which is the word of God that was planted in the varying conditions. The seed of God’s Word was constant, where it fell wasn’t and those are the same conditions, we may find in our hearts as the seed of God’s word tries to find soil that will nurture what was planted. In every case but one the seed was trampled, devoured stolen, and choked in the many places it was planted except for the soil that was good. That soil was in proper condition to receive. I have to ask myself what type of soil have I prepared for the Lord?
As I rushed to put my tomato plants in last year, I often do the same with God’s word upon my heart. I rush to put it in without preparing for the word to not only take root but have deep roots that can’t be pulled up by life’s twists and turn. That soil of my heart must have a relationship with God where He waters me and provides nutrients through time spent in prayer and supplication. Prayer helps balance me out so weeds can’t take over as the word begins to germinate. I can’t bear God’s fruit if I’m not taking the effort to supply myself with God’s substance. That substance is communing with Him so I can trust His word and all the things He wants to get across to me. Even the pruning that must take place for larger crops can’t happen if I don’t trust God with the pruning shears. Good soil will make that seed grow from something unseen to seen. I must constantly turn over the soil so new seeds take root and are able to produce an abundant crop.
Like the seed in the parable our goal should be to produce a great harvest for God’s glory. Let us all look at the condition of the soil of our hearts and make sure we’re turning it over so that we are ready to receive the seed of God’s word.
Here is what the Word says about the Word. Mark’s parallel version, Mark 4:13. The Parable of the Sower is the most important, it’s how you understand all the other parables & teachings. Why? Because this parable is about the Word. It tells us exactly HOW the Word works, HOW it is victorious for us and HOW things fail.
And so Rhonie, because she mines the Word like an archaeologist, shares that the SOIL is KEY. Whether we receive the Word and it produces, or whether we plant and defeat comes on us.
I know Rhonie. She is in fact a Word miner. More than most I’ve known and I’m a pastor and I pay attention. Man doesn’t live (live Life) without the Word. She is in the Word. Thus, we should heed her admonition to go after God and go after the Word. If we would just hearken to what the Word says. We would be so less miserable. And so much more at rest and on top.
THANK YOU, Rhonie!
Truth!!! My God, help us all to keep the conditions of our hearts ready at all times to be able to grow in Christ steadily in Jesus’s name!