Daily Devotional for Monday 6th May
Parable of the Sower
Having an Uncle who is a farmer, sowing seeds has been something I’ve seen done on a large scale. You must prepare the ground correctly in order for the seeds to have the best possible chance of growing. We want a good crop in order for it to reach the seeds' full potential for maximum profit.
There are 3 different types of sowing in this passage: The rocky path, The thorns, & The good soil.
The seeds sown on rocky paths show us how easy it is to be disheartened when our faith has no roots. When we don’t know what the bible teaches us as true, we forget what God has done for us and we lose our sense of purpose.
The thorns allow us to have deep roots, but we are surrounded by things that will damage us, such as: worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth, desire for other things. These things Jesus says “choke the word, making it unfruitful”. I remember my dad clearing a huge thorn bush from his back garden; underneath, there was nothing growing. The thorns had taken all the nutrients out of the soil and left nothing behind for any other plants to grow. Sometimes in life we say, “yes, Jesus, I am all in, but don’t take this from me”. Those desires of the world will be like the thorns, choking our faith and making it unfruitful. Sometimes a thorn bush can look very beautiful with flowers and fruit of its own. But that thorn bush still does nothing for what grows alongside or beneath it. A thorn bush consumes what is around it, just like the things of this world such as lust, the love of money, or pride.
The last is good soil. Well prepared soil like my Uncle's farm will grow seeds well and in healthy numbers. This soil is full of good nutrients that help seeds to grow rapidly. It helps it grow more seeds and eventually fruit depending on what you’re growing. Similarly, our faith grows well when we prepare the ground for our faith by reading the bible daily, not neglecting to meet together, and praying to our Heavenly Father. Good soil is something we maintain. Poorly maintained soil allows pests and weeds to invade. So maintain your soil, keep it topped up with water and nutrients.
Time to reflect…
How can you keep your roots deep, clear of thorns and maintain your good soil? What things are currently in your life that maintain or challenge your faith?
Pause to pray…
Jesus, we pray for our faith. Give us a daily gift of faith that helps us to grow deep roots in you, clear our hearts of these thorn bushes that seek to smother us from you and help maintain our soil so we can be fruitful for your kingdom. In Jesus’s mighty name we pray, Amen.
