Dear Friends of Zion,
Some of you have gardens. They take a lot of work. They also take a lot of faith. No one plants with the attitude that there will be no flowers blooming, no vegetables to enjoy. You plant with the expectation of the fruit of your harvest, whether it be a beautiful garden or, perhaps, an abundance of tomatoes, squash, and corn.
The Lord knows about a harvest, too. He plants the seed of His Word in our hearts that it might bring forth fruit – the fruit of the Spirit. However, not all of the seed that is scattered produces the same results.
Jesus once told a parable about a farmer who sows his seed. Some seed fell along the path where it was trampled upon and the birds ate it up. Other seed fell on stony ground where it withered for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns that choked the plants. But some of the seed fell on good soil where it yielded a substantial crop.
We contemporary farmers take the time to put in fertilizer and other things to make the soil rich and productive. We plant the seed at just the right depth and water the soil faithfully to make it produce. We would not think of scattering the seed so recklessly.
Jesus explains the parable of the farmer. He says,
“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 rock 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 8:12-15).
Our hearts can get in the way of God’s Word. Sometimes we may need a change of heart so that the Word can produce a wonderful crop in us.
Isaiah once shared about God’s Word when he wrote, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God’s Word does accomplish the purpose for which He sends it. May that Word find our hearts and lives ready to receive it so that it may work in us the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
May the Lord bless the watering and growing and harvesting…
Pastor
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