July 30, 2023 . . .

Matthew 13:1-23 gives us the parable Jesus told to help people understand about the various ways in which the Word of God is received. He uses “seeds and soil” to describe the “Word and the Receiver of the Word.” The seeds are God’s Word. The Soil is the one who hears the Word. The Sower is the one who spreads the Word randomly to cover as many people as possible, but the Soil is the main character in this parable. There is the hard ground at the edges where the Word cannot penetrate, there is rocky soil that prevents the Word from taking root, there is thorny soil that chokes out the Word, and there is the Good Soil that produces 100, 60, or 30 times the Word cast. Anyone who has ever attempted to grow something would be able to relate to this parable. Spiritual growth takes time and effort. When the seed of God’s Word is sown, it needs to be cared for daily. What type of soil are you? Are you cultivating God’s Word in your own life? Are you removing the rocks and weeds of the world in order to create a deeper faith? Reread this passage and ask yourself what type of Soil you are. This parable needs to become personal. Become a disciple of Christ, learn, follow, and lead others as you cultivate your own faith. God loves you and will help you along the way.