Good Soil

Sunday morning my brother-in-law preached a wonderful sermon. It was a topic I'd heard sermons on before, but for some reason (possibly because my girls were actually being quiet and still, therefore, allowing me to listen....) I was able to think deeper this particular morning.

The topic was "The Parable of the Sower" from Matthew 13, and you can listen to it here. It's a good one, I promise!

This particular Sunday morning as I listened about the types of soil, I tried to make personal application by thinking about which type of soil MY heart is. The more I thought about it, the more thankful I became that God is willing to offer forgiveness.

I am on a constant journey to be the good soil at the end of the parable. In fact, I can tell you that most of the time I feel my heart IS the good soil. 

But sometimes, in far toooo many moments, I fall short.

Sometimes I am busy, or distracted, or simply don't understand something, and God's seed gets snatched or blown away before I allow it to take root (Mt. 13:4).

Sometimes I get excited about God's word and act quickly ... But don't give enough time and effort for things to take root, causing me to give up on, or lose sight of something before seeing it to the finish (Mt. 13:5-6).

Sometimes I have all the best intentions but let the cares and distractions of the world choke and beat them out (Mt. 13:7).

There have been days - seasons even - where my heart has got "stuck" being one of those types of soil. Because, as Josh points out in his sermon (that I really *hope* you listened to), what allows my heart to be the good soil from Mt. 13:8 is me making the choice to respond to God's word the way He intended. To use it the way it was intended to be used. To study it, and learn from it, and internalize it, and use it, and share it. It's a choice that needs made daily. It's a response that needs to be consistently made.

That choice isn't always easy. Sometimes I don't take the action I should. Sometimes I'm not thoughtful enough or patient enough. Sometimes I allow myself to get distracted. Sometimes I simply fall short.

How thankful am I for God's grace that allows me to make it through my weak moments so that I can repent and find my strength in Him again. How thankful am I for the people who make me think deeply and remind me to keep growing. How thankful am I each new morning for another chance to do better, to be better, so that through better soil, God can give an increase.