As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up
A sower went out to sow his seed in the field, just as Jesus continually pours out his word to us in the world today using various media; such that the word is not scarce. The state of one's heart represents the soil or type of ground on which the word of God falls. The state of one's heart determines the level of reception to God's word and hence, the productivity of the word in yielding results. It is possible for a person to constantly portray characters of a particular state of mind in everything he/she does. It is also possible for a person to have differing states of mind on different subjects of his/her life.
As the sower sowed, some seed fell on the path, representing soil that has been trodden by countless feet, so that it has become condensed, consolidated and hard. Such soil has no permeability, it has become hardened. If a single grain of corn should fall on it and grow, it will be as great a wonder as of grain growing in the street. The seed which lies on the path remains exposed till it gets crushed by another passerby, or till the birds swoop down to swallow it up, leaving nothing behind with the hope of germination.
The hardened heart is one on which worldly wisdom and ideologies have impressed upon so hard, every softness or sensitivity to the word of God is expunged, and their remains no room for truth to abide. It is a heart with constant inclination to negate the truth of God's love towards it. Jesus describes this heart as one which cannot understand. It form's the 'hearer's only'. The word of God may catch its fancy, in which case it will ponder over it and possibly discuss it for a while, but along comes the enemy or other worldly amusement and immediately the word of God that was heard becomes history, never to be remembered. The many factors waiting to eat up the word of God from this person include jeering friends, mocking family, forgetfulness from the devil or other pleasures. At the point of hearing the word of God, there may be a decision to go home, kneel beside the bed and pray about the topic, but right on the way home, the decision is forgotten and the commitment never to be remembered, it had been snatched by birds of the air along the way.
For anyone with a heart that is not permeable to God, which cannot understand how the word of God translates to any form of truth, there is help available to plough the land of your heart and make room for understanding of the Truth. Tears cannot soften such hardened earth, but a loving God has provided the blood of Jesus to soak and cultivate your heart. Invite the blood of Jesus to soften the material of your heart that the truth of God's word will abide in you and produce result. This indeed applies to all of us, that at no point should our hearts be found hard against the word of God, at times in ignorance. Let us pray.
Prayer: Dear God of love, I submit my heart to you without trying to justify my actions. I know my effort cannot change my perception and reception of your truth so I invite you to soak my heart with the precious blood of Jesus today. Create in me a new heart that receives and retains your word alone. Give me understanding of what you say to me my father. Let heavenly results sprout from my actions in life and let your name be forever praised because of me in Jesus name, Amen.
One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 21 2010 - Job 31-34(OT), 2 Corinthians 10 (NT).
Pray for someone today - Pick a name and pray for someone who has constantly refused the truth of God's word in their life.
God's love and mine...
