Thursday, March 30, 2023 Some material taken from NAMB Who’s Your One 40 day devotional.
Then he said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables? The sower sows the word. Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away. Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.” MARK 4:13–20, CSB
Cultivating Good Soil and Planting Seeds
People will inevitably respond to the gospel differently. Some hear the truth, and Satan steals it. Others hear it and joyfully accept it, but the hardship of this world uproot and reveal its shallowness. Others allow the care of this world to choke out the truth, and what fruit they would have produced dies. And some hear the good news, receive it with joy and produce fruit beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. You are not responsible for how your one responds to the message, but you are responsible to share it. God will be with us as we spread gospel seeds and may the good news of the kingdom fall on fertile soil in the hearts of hearers.
As Christians, we have a tendency to feel like we are unsuccessful if we don’t see the fruit. Even as moms and dads, as we raise our children we tell them about Jesus and read them the Bible and take them to church. We do all the little mundane things as a ministry to our families, but the fruit is a long time coming. We plant the seeds many times a day and it can feel discouraging because the process is so slow to us. But God’s plans are always 100% on time. With our families and friends, and with our One, we plant the seeds and water, but God is in control of the rest. We can feel confident in knowing we have done what God has called us to do even when we don’t see the fruit. I always think of Moses in this situation. He led the Children of Israel for 40 years in the desert when it was only supposed to be 11 days. Because of their disobedience, the first generation did not get to go to the promised land. Moses planted the seed and led them according to God’s direction, and he himself died and did not get to go to the promised land, because of his disobedience. God told him to speak to a rock to bring water out of it, and he struck the rock instead. He did not get to see the fruits of his labor. Many of us may not live to see the fruits of our labor but the important thing is that we live obedient to God and His plan, nor ours. Sometimes we are only called to plant seeds in fertile soil.
Pray the heart of your One would be like the seed planted on good soil, which produced much fruit.
Who’s Your One Prayer Guide 26
Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions. MARK 10:21-22, CSB
God, there is so much in this world that wars against people coming to faith in You and giving their lives to follow You as a disciple. There is perhaps no greater obstacle than possessions and money. I know You have said it is difficult for the rich to enter Your kingdom. Though ___________ may not consider himself/herself rich in this life, I know it is possible for possessions, or the pursuit of those possessions, to cause a person to reject You. Show ___________ the futility of pursuing things of this world that can be destroyed in a moment and cause him/her to consider the reality of eternity. As he/she does, show him/her You are a greater treasure than anything this life could provide.
