Good Soil
The parable of the sower in Mark 4 reads:
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
-Mark 4:3-8 (NIV)
Jesus later explains that this parable is describing what happens within people’s hearts when they receive the word of God.
You might have heard this parable interpreted as only applying to people who don’t believe in Jesus Christ . . . for example, you might have heard that when an unbeliever hears the Good News of Jesus Christ and the cares of the world chokes out the message, the Gospel can’t take root.
There is a danger in assuming that this parable no longer applies to us. Even as Christians, the voice of God is often choked out by the cares of the world . . . or we get excited about hearing the voice of God when we first hear it, but before it takes root it becomes scorched and withered by the trials we face in life. But when our hearts are prepared, just like the fertile soil of the parable, the word of God yields fruit.
Is your heart fertile ground for the word of God to take root?
Please check for updates on my blog to learn more about listening to and fellowshipping with the voice of God. I’ll share more elements from my book, Fellowshipping with His Voice, on a weekly basis. I pray that it’s a blessing and encouragement to you!
