Sower at Sunset, 1888 by Vincent van Gogh
Hey Friends,
I’ve been living in Upstate South Carolina for a little over four years, and one of the first things that struck me was the ground.
Unlike Central Florida where I lived previously, where the topsoil is sandy, here we have this distinctive red clay that clings to everything.
On rainy days, I ensure the kids to wear their old shoes when they go outside; that red clay is notorious for sticking and is quite a challenge to clean off! It’s a problem I never faced in Florida.
Picture below of the red soil, this is prevalent all throughout the Upstate of South Carolina.
This contrast in soil types leads me to reflect on the spiritual soil of our hearts, as illustrated in The Parable of the Sower.
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The Parable of the Sower
In this section of Luke, we see that the crowds gathering around Jesus, drawn by his miracles and teachings. With his fame growing, Jesus responds by teaching through parables - stories that reveal deeper truths. One such story is The Parable of the Sower.
Devotional: Luke 8:4-15
“While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. - Luke 8:4-15
In this parable, Jesus emphasizes the different responses to the Word of God based on the condition of the soil - our hearts.
The Spiritual Battle.
There is an unseen spiritual battle that impacts us all, centered around the Word of God. The enemy actively works to prevent people from engaging with the gospel message.
As Pastor Thomas Brooks noted in “Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices”, the enemy employs cunning tactics to distract us:
Presenting the bait (sin) and hiding the hook.
Painting sin with virtuous colors.
Persuading the soul that repentance is easy.
Tempting Christians to rest in their performance.
Causing Christians to seek greatness, position, riches, and security.
Moving Christians to pride themselves on their gifts and abilities.
We should be alert to these tactics to arm ourselves for spiritual warfare. As Jeremy Camp’s song, Word of Life, resonates with me:
“Word of Life, Speak to my weary heart
Strengthen my broken parts
Lead me to Your open arms
Word of truth
Illuminate all these lies
The enemy speaks inside.”
Reflective Questions:
Friend, how is the soil of your heart towards His Word in this season?
Which type of soil do you identify with most right now?
Closing Prayer:
Lord, helps us to be open ground for Your Word. Open our hearts to Your message, and help us not just listen but be doers of Your Word. Remove any rocky ground and weeds that hinder our fruitfulness. I pray this in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
References/Resources:
The Sower (Sower at Sunset) 1888 by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).
Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15;
The prophet Isaiah is referenced in the Parable of the Sower; (Isaiah 6:9) to warn of the consequences of rejection of truth.
Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks, published in 1652.
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