Matthew 13
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Lord Jesus--This is a simple story. A story told to make a point in a way that the people could remember. It was a story about a farmer told to people who were very close to the land. They knew and understood the ways of farming. I wonder how many of the people listening had worried about the crows coming and eating their seed? I wonder how many nodding heads there were in the crowd that day as you spoke of the weeds, the sun, the good soil and the reminder of coming harvest.
9He who has ears, let him hear."
Lord Jesus--There were at least a couple of levels at which you were speaking...you were speaking of spiritual things with word pictures and you were making the people work. The kingdom of God is something that has to sit and grow a bit inside my mind and heart before it begins to have impact. To even receive the word I have to have a receptivity to you.
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Lord Jesus--This is a simple story. A story told to make a point in a way that the people could remember. It was a story about a farmer told to people who were very close to the land. They knew and understood the ways of farming. I wonder how many of the people listening had worried about the crows coming and eating their seed? I wonder how many nodding heads there were in the crowd that day as you spoke of the weeds, the sun, the good soil and the reminder of coming harvest.
9He who has ears, let him hear."
Lord Jesus--There were at least a couple of levels at which you were speaking...you were speaking of spiritual things with word pictures and you were making the people work. The kingdom of God is something that has to sit and grow a bit inside my mind and heart before it begins to have impact. To even receive the word I have to have a receptivity to you.
9He who has ears, let him hear."
This little verse is an invitation to listen with ears that don't just hear the sound waves but that longs for and grasps the spiritual content of your call. So how many times has your call gone right over my head Lord Jesus? How many times has my soul heard yet somehow missed the point? The amazing thing is you continue to work in my heart...this small, twisted and sometimes hard heart. Just like you continued to teach even though you knew that right in front of you were some who in a short while would call out to Pilate for your crucifixion. Your grace is amazing, patient and personal.
In this day that will begin in just a few short hours give me ears to hear your call with clarity and the kind of grace that you demonstrated. Give me the strength to follow your leadership in this day with courage and endurance that only comes from you.
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