Notes to the Lord: Seed, Soil and Harvest

^{Scripture Reflection:Matthew 13}

¹⁸"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Lord Jesus there are those who even though the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts the message is snatched away from them even as they hear it. Hearing does not always lead to acceptance. The evil one is active in our world. Give me listening ears Lord Jesus.

There are those times when it is so easy to forget that evil is personal, active and engaged in a mission of seek and destroy all that is your will that is around me. Remind me today of the battle that rages all around me. Keep me close to you, you know I tend to wander sometimes without even knowing it.

²⁰The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Lord Jesus--There is a need for rooted-ness and digging deep into the kingdoms rich soil. The work is to deep as fast as I can as much as I can in these times of peace. Reception of your word is a part of the story but roots sinking down deep is the first primary need. Trouble and persecution will come at times and can only be faced with deep resources in hand.

²²The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Lord Jesus--The harvest depends on weeding, at the things that would creep in and distract and diffuse your word in my life. Stuff can creep in and coke out the harvest that is promised. Worries of this life...asthma of the soul. Fruitlessness is created by an insidious process of weed creep.

²³But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Lord Jesus the goal is to see a harvest that is blessed. It is interesting that at the low end of the estimate the harvest is based on multiplication not addition.