November 3 Good Soil

Luke 8:4-15 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.  
 
GOOD soil is so very important to a nation’s welfare. We are blessed in America to have thousands and thousands of acres that are good soil. This good soil gives us an abundant harvest annually. The good soil gives us a reliable food source. Living in the United States, we can trust that we will have enough to eat each day because the soil is good, tilled by good farmers who manage it well from year to year.
   Jesus uses the good soil image because good soil managed properly is the foundation of wealth for a country. Good soil in the Kingdom of God is the foundation for a rich life in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
   Good soil that grows crops is filled with organisms and nutrients that make it fertile. Good Soil in the Kingdom of God is filled with God’s fertile Word to grow faith, hope and love to enrich our lives.
   Good soil is deep and can’t be easily washed away. God’s Good Soil is deep and cannot ever be removed. When we sink our souls’ roots into it, we can trust the Good Soil of God’s Word to anchor us against the winds of change and trouble. We are sturdy in the Good Soil to remain in God’s love when heartache comes and uncertainty disturbs our hearts.
   Plant your seeds of trust in God’s Good Soil. When others see God’s Good Soil in you, they will desire to be planted in Good Soil, too.
 
Prayer: Deepen my roots in you, Father. Grow me up more and more into the fullness of life you have planned for me. Grow me more deeply into Jesus.