HARD SOIL/HARD HEART
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.
Luke 8:5 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus tells a great story about a farmer sowing seed in his field as an analogy of the way people respond to the Word of God. In those days they did not have tractors or plows to turn the sow or spread the seed. The farmer walked the fields with a bag of seed and threw the seeds out over the land he had prepared by hand.
Jesus explains the parable and tells us the seed represents the Word of God, the different soil is the hearts of people, and the Sower is the Holy Spirit. The first soil is the hard soil where the seed has no chance to take root because the birds come and steal the seed.
Jesus lets us know this soil represents people who have willingly hardened their hearts to the message of God. Because of the hardness of their hearts Satan steals the Word and they never experience the transforming power of the Word.
In my experience of working with people I believe our hearts can get hard out of pride, fear, and bitterness. Pride because we think we know it all and don’t have to listen to truth. Fear because we are uncertain of something that is new to us. Bitterness because we were hurt in the past and won’t accept God as a loving Heavenly Father.
We are told in James to “get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” (James 1:21 NLT)
Look at that passage closely. We need to “humbly accept” the word of God. We must admit we don’t know everything and need help. Until we humble ourselves our hearts will remain hard, and the Word of God can’t transform our lives.
Humility is the pathway to progress in our spiritual life. We can’t move forward until we humble ourselves before God and admit we need His help.
Don’t allow a hard heart to trap you in your pride, fear, and bitterness. God has something better for you.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit show me anything in my life that is blocking my ability to humbly receive the Word of God. Today I admit I need help and ask for You to teach and guide me.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
I want to always keep a humble heart to hear God’s Word.