God’s Call. Our Response.
Dear Prayer Community and Core Leaders of Do For One,
As we continue to harness the momentum God is stirring in us and through us, from recruiting new leaders and forming new Do For One relationships, as well as initiating new training projects, I wanted to share this short reflection with you as a way to encourage us to stay centered on the person and work of Jesus.
Have you ever been to a conference or any other special gathering where you felt spiritually uplifted after encountering God, only to find the spark fading by the next day? Or have you ever had an epiphany while listening to the perfect song at just the right moment, only for that feeling to fade away when life's usual pace catches up with you?
Similarly, when God calls us toward a greater work, we can experience an emotional high but then soon after, we can expect to face distractions and discouragements that tempt us to abandon the path He has set before us.
At our annual core leader's retreat last weekend, I shared a brief reflection on the parable of the sower, found in Matthew 13:1-23. Jesus tells the story of God as the gardener who goes out to scatter seeds, representing the message about the kingdom of God, or the "word" or "truth."
We may have a desire given by God to be more generous, live a holy life, or do acts of mercy and justice in our community. These are the seeds that God has sown within us. The parable of the sower helps us reflect on the true change, change from inside out, that must take place in our lives in order to follow Jesus to the end, reaping a harvest if we do not give up.
Jesus tells us through this parable that when God gives us a word, it falls on one of four types of soil so that we can reflect on which type of heart-soil these seeds may be falling on for us. I have attached an image of a path that goes from Chorizim to Capernaum. It's similar to the view that Jesus would have seen and may have drawn inspiration from when talking about the places where the seeds may fall.
Hard Heart
The parable of the seed falling on the path teaches us that a hard heart acts as a barrier to the growth of good seeds. This is what happens when we pride ourselves on our intellectual understanding of God's word, without truly internalizing it. It could also result from adopting ideologies or beliefs contrary to God's word, such as messages from our family or political ideologies that appeal to our self-serving and baseline emotions.
Shallow Heart
The shallow heart refers to the condition when the seed of faith falls on a heart that seeks God only for personal gain. This heart is the rocky soil. To be sure, God is personal and loves us personally, but this shallow view may not provide enough depth to withstand the challenges of life and to follow God's calling during difficult times.
Divided Heart
The divided heart" refers to situations in life where we have genuine faith, but the worries and anxieties of life hinder our growth. These pressures can take the form of everyday worries such as the desire for wealth or social status, and concerns about what others think of us and our life choices. In other words, the "seeds among thorns" represent the challenges we face while trying to maintain our faith and values in a world full of distractions and obstacles.
Devoted Heart
The devoted heart is when the soil is soft and shapeable by the spirit, and it yields a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. In this parable, there is a core emphasis on hearing the word – our responsibility is to listen to the word of God and ask Him to remove any obstacles that may be hindering our spiritual growth.
To identify the rocks and thorns that are inhibiting our spiritual growth, we need to reflect on the state of our hearts. However, the responsibility of nurturing the seed lies primarily in preparing the good soil and yielding to the work of the gardener, Jesus. This process of change cannot be rushed, as it works from within us gradually. We must yield to the gardener and trust in His timing.
Reflection Questions:
In this season of your life, what messages do you feel are being conveyed to you by God? Are there any "seeds" that He has sown within you?
In the process of planting this seed in good soil, with devotion, which soil do you expect to encounter as the biggest barrier to growth, and why?
Pray that God, through Jesus, would remove the obstacles hindering your growth towards fulfilling His calling in your life.
Matthew 13: 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”