Scattering Seeds

Mark 4:5-6 (NKJV)

Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 

Scorched and withered....

When I read those two words the pain I imagine can not equate with the reality of the pain one would feel of having a part of their body scorched  Nor can I fathom the pain of someone who is withering away from a torturous illness  Just as our flesh can become scorched and our bodies can wither away so can our spiritual lives if we allow the seeds of our faith to be planted upon stony ground  A plant, flowers and trees need firm roots buried deep within the richness of the earth's soil to grow strong  I too need strong roots buried deep with in the word of God to maintain my spiritual growth  Shallow roots of faith have no substance to cling to the promises of God  They hold on for a short time only to fall away just as quickly as they sprung up. 

Jesus explains the meaning of His parable in Mark 4:16-17  The Passion Translation reads, " The seed sown on gravel represents those who hear the Word and receive it joyfully, but because their hearts fail to sink a deep root into the Word, they don't endure for long  For when trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, they immediately wilt and fall away."  

Fall away.......

I can not grasp the very idea of falling away from Jesus  But I have  And not intentionally  Let's back up a minute  When a seed is planted, it must be taken care of diligently  It requires the perfect soil with the right nutrients and watered daily  As it grows, it must be pruned of any dead leaves or branches to give it the best environment in which to mature to its fullness.

 The same goes for my walk of faith. For my spiritual seeds to grow, I, too, must be planted in good, Godly soil. My best spiritual environment for growth is watering myself daily through prayer, reading the Word, and allowing the Lord to remove any dead things that would hinder me. 

 However, when I choose to become complacent in my study time or, allow the busyness of life to hinder my prayer time or rebel in my pruning process, in a sense, I am falling away  Why  Because my roots are no longer thriving but simply existing  I am not turning away from Jesus; my roots are losing their depth. 

To bear good fruit, I must always be planted in good soil. My heart must stay open to receive the Word. Jesus tells us in Mark 4:20, " But the seed sown on good soil represents those who open their hearts to receive the Word, and their lives bear good fruit- some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times more than what was sown." - The Passion Translation.

 Receiving the Word of God strengthens the growth of my roots. A seed that yields tenacious roots will also bear much fruit, a harvest of plenty.

Colossians 2:7

Your spiritual roots go deeply into His life, and you are continually infused with strength and encouraged in every way. You are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to Him. - The Passion Tranlation

I hope that the seeds I scatter will always fall on good ground and that the depth of my roots will remain deep-seated, preventing me from withering away under the scorching heat of life's trials and tribulations. I want the substance of my faith to endure, to stand, and to forever cling to my Jesus. 

Scattering seeds...............