“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.”Luke 8:11-13
This week my son and I went for a walk in the dunes and we spotted a couple of really tall reeds completely dried up all the way from the roots. The reed caught my so’s eye and he plucked it and said he wanted to bring it home. Just then, I felt the Holy Spirit gently tug at my heart with, “Pay attention to the roots.” I couldn’t understand right away what He meant but I kept this in my heart. When I was asked to share from God’s Word with our extended family this weekend, I felt I needed to share about the root. Here is the Word God impressed upon my heart. I pray it ministers to you as you read and that God does His deep work in you and in your hearts.
The passage before us today is the parable of the sower. About a man who went out to sow some seeds. Some fell along the way and birds ate them up, some other among thorns and some on rocks. While others fell on good soil and they yielded a rich harvest. Jesus explains the parable: the seeds are God’s Word. The place it falls on depicts the condition of the heart. Those in the wayside are those that hear God’s Word but Satan takes away His Word from their hearts. Those who are among thorns are those who hear God’s Word yet the worries and pleasures of the world distract them from God and they are not fruitful. The seeds that fall on fertile soil are those with hearts that are soft and crumbly (humble and broken)- ideal conditions to live a fruitful life. The seeds among the rock depicts those who receive God’s Word with joy yet because they do not have a root, during a time of temptation they fall away.
Mark 4:17 says, “But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.”
In the NLT translation of Mark 4:17 it says, “But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.”
We live in times where it is unpopular to be a Christian. You are shunned as weird and chasing after some fantasy when you announce you are a Christian. Particularly in the West, you are met with an awkward silence and shuffling of feet. People get uncomfortable when they know of your decision to follow Christ. You may not get to hang with the popular crowd in school or in college. You may get teased for being pure and holy and being a Jesus freak. God’s Word is clear that we will be hated by the world because we belong to Him. We will face distress and persecution because we believe in the Bible. But if our faith in God is not deep enough. If we have not set aside time to nurture our relationship with Him in daily Bible reading and prayer. If we have not run to God during every time of distress and hardship. If we have not taken Him seriously. If we have set Him aside as a rare side dish to dip into when we feel like it, our faith will be short lived. We will end up being embarrassed to live a Christ-centered life.
I believe God is drawing our attention to our roots. I believe He wants us to put down our foundation into His Word and commune with Him daily. To have a faith that is rooted, grounded and firm in Him.
I have this plant pot that I always forget to water (I sadly do not have a green thumb!) Yet although the original plants in the pot have died, a new plant with really strong stems and thick, soft green leaves has grown in its place. Despite receiving barely any water and barely any sunshine, the plant stands firm and tall and is evergreen. Now that is what God desires for us to be. To be evergreen even during hard times and to be firmly planted in His Word.
(In picture: The neglected but evergreen plant on our windowsill)
Psalm 1:1-3 says:
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Can we say of ourselves that our roots go deep into His Word? Can we say that we are unshakable in our faith? Can we boldly stand for Christ and for our faith knowing fully well we will be ridiculed for it? Can we be unembarrassed to live out a Christian life in a broken and fallen world? Can we say God’s Word is something we delight in? That we are drawn to every single waking moment? Can we unashamedly speak about our faith? Can it be said of us that our actions, reflections of the heart, the words we speak, the thoughts we think and the way we treat people come from a place of pure devotion to Christ?
May God give us the grace to walk in Him according to Colossians 2:6-7: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are boring deep into the condition of my foundation. I come undone in Your presence. I want to live that life the Psalmist talks about in Psalm 1. I want to take root in my faith in You. I want to bear fruit in season. To remain evergreen even during unfavorable conditions. I want to shine for You. I re-commit my life to You Jesus. I surrender my all to You. My hopes, my ambitions, my dreams, my fears, my inhibitions, my weaknesses, my joys, my sorrows. Take everything and make it beautiful for Your Name and for Your Glory. Make me brand new today Jesus. In Your Matchless Name I pray, amen.