Are you a Field?

Luke 8:10 He said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Lately, God has impressing on me the lavishness of His grace in allowing me to see my sin, understand His call, giving me the desire to follow His call and then giving me the understanding of His Word.

As I go throughout my day, and for you this is probably true as well, there are so many people who have not been given this gift. Matt. 7:14 "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it". Why has God given some this gift and not given it to many others? Because of His grace to the few, and only for that reason. We have no merit of our own, lest we should have room to boast.

But the rest of the parable is also very telling. Thankfully, at some point in my life I have truly been every kind of soil. I say "Thankfully" because the good soil is included in the list and when we are finally prepared to be rich soil to receive the Seed of His Word, then we are truly saved.

Many around us are the other soils. They may say they are saved and they may say they are God is working in their lives, but the only thing we can do is watch the "field". If it produces fruit, long term, then there is good soil.

Lord, plow my heart deep and take away all the weeds and rocks so that I might be a field that You can produce fruit from. There is nothing I can do except to accept the plowing and receive the seed. All the rest is up to You. You plant, water, give life to the Seed, tend the garden as a master gardener, and then you even harvest. Make me to be a field that is filled with good fruit, so that You might be glorified, so I can boast in You and You alone.