Your Fallow Ground

Jesus used examples from everyday life when He told the parable of the four types of soil. Wayside soil is too hard for seed to take root. It represents hard people who do not hear the gospel even when it is clearly stated for them.

Stony ground lacks nourishing soil. Seed planted in it withers when conditions are dry. It represents people who are open to aspects of God's Word but who do not establish a vital connection with God because they do not receive spiritual nourishment. Their Christian life withers when they suffer adverse circumstances.

Thorny ground has weeds that rob the seed of moisture so the seed will not develop as it should. It represents people who receive the Word, but who struggle because so much of their effort is focused on other things. The life of God's Word is chocked by weeds of pride.

Finally, good ground provides ideal growing conditions for seed. It represents people who hear the word [seed], accept it, and bear fruit. (Mk. 4:20a NKJV)

The exciting thing about the four soils is that none of the conditions is permanent. If left to itself, the best soil becomes hard and cracked like a wayside, but it can be plowed and worked again. Farmers can bring stones to the surface of the stony ground so the stones can be removed. Farmers can also look for ways to control weeds. Good farmers change the nature of the soil, and when they have prepared the soil, they plant their seed.

The same is true for the soil of people’s hearts. God prepares our soil. We can resist His work in our life or we can invite Him to help us. God—the master farmer—has a message for the people who desire to receive Him in faith. He is the one who plants His seed, but people can open themselves up to receive the preparation of their hearts.

The prophet Hosea said, Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. (Hos. 10:12b) If we are willing to acknowledge and confess our sin, we fulfill the one condition necessary to receive God's grace. When we see ourselves as we are, we value God as He is. Then we are ready to seek the Lord.

Originally published March 14, 1986.
Picture: from Karen's garden, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

He Had Compassion

Jesus told a story about the Samaritan who helped a dying man alongside the road—a victim ignored by people who should have helped him. Then, a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. . . . (Lk. 10:33 RSV)

Sometimes our journey as Christians leads us into difficult circumstances. We often struggle and wonder why because we do not understand what has happened or why it happened. We might be wounded as a result of our failure to walk uprightly with God—or we might be wounded because someone attacked us when we were defenseless. We may be suffering from one huge blow—or from incidents that repeatedly reopened festering sores.

Whatever our condition, circumstance, or problem, we need healing.

In this parable, the Samaritan traveler represents Jesus. And Jesus knows how to bind wounds! He pours forth His oil and wine—healing agents during Biblical times and symbols of the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture.

If we trust Him, we can count of Him to do the same for us. Jesus has compassion, and He brings healing.

Originally published May 14, 1982.

Developing Roots

When Jesus explained the parable of the Sower to His disciples, He focused briefly on people who are like rocky soil. He said, “they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.” (Lk. 8:12 RSV)

Plants can’t live without roots. Roots anchor plants firmly in the ground so they don’t fall over or blow away; they absorb minerals and water to sustain life and growth. Usually only a small part of a root is visible for they extend below the soil’s surface.

If we wish to live strong lives in Christ, we must submerge our inner life support—our roots—deep into the life and words of Jesus. Other people might never see our private life with God, but only He can keep us from blowing away during times of temptation. He feeds us the spiritual food we need and He provides Living Water. The strength and quality of our Christian life depends upon a vital relationship with Him.

Originally published September 11, 1981.

Motives of the Heart

Parables are often hard to understand, but if we think deeply about them, they reveal hidden motives of the heart.

Jesus told about two sons. Their father asked both to work in a vineyard. The first said no—but worked anyway. The second said yes—but did not work.

Torn between obedience and personal desires, the first son responded poorly. Nevertheless, in the end he did the right thing.

The second son might have thought his motives were right. Perhaps he desired to work until he was distracted. Most likely, however, he deceived himself. Had his love been pure, nothing could interfere with keeping his word.

When Jesus asked the religious leaders which son did the father’s will, they knew the right answer and they replied, The first. Yet Jesus was comparing them to the second son. They served God with their mouth—not with their heart.

Assuredly, said Jesus, tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. (Mt. 21:31b NKJV)

Oirignally published February 5, 1988.
Picture: Flower in Arizona desert, 2008. Photo by Patty.

"Up to Seven Times?"

Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive someone who sinned against him: Up to seven times? (Mt. 18:21 NKJV)

Jesus might have smiled inside when He increased the number to seventy times seven. That’s four hundred and ninety times. Because Jewish law required all accounts be settled at the end of each day, the requirement for a faithful observer (based on an average of seven hours of sleep each night or seventeen waking hours each day) would be to forgive someone more often than every two minutes!

Then Jesus told a parable about a servant who refused to forgive others, even though his master freely forgave him: The master declared, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt . . . Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant. . . ?’ And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. (vs. 32-34)

We can never pay to cover what we owe for our transgressions or Sin. But God offers to freely forgive if only we forgive those who sin against us—again and again and again.

Originally published June 26, 1992.

Inner Growth

In one of Jesus' parables He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Mt. 13:33 NIV)

Jesus had no doubt seen His mother work with yeast many times. Along with flour, olive oil, and water or milk, she would have added yeast to bread dough, working it in with the other ingredients. Then the dough was stretched thin, left to rise, and baked in outdoor ovens.

Yeast are tiny living plants that grow and multiply when the right environment is provided for them. Then they cause dough to expand or rise when they grow and multiply. That creates the rising process.

God’s Kingdom is also alive. When it’s worked into a person’s life, spiritual truth is revealed and inner growth occurs naturally. Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Colossians when he expressed his desire for them to experience inner growth, that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:2b,3 NIV)

Originally published June 17, 1983.
Picture: Loaf of Bread, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

Branches on the Vine

Jesus compared Himself to a vine and His disciple to branches on a vine. He said that if we abide in Him, we’ll bear much fruit. (Jn. 15:5 NKJV)

The kicker is that the branches of a vine are dependent upon their vine for sustenance. So Christians must depend upon Jesus. If we go elsewhere for strength or support—whether to people, institution, or even our own inner resources—we receive something that doesn’t support the life of Christ.

We need the life of Christ to sustain vital spiritual growth. Jesus explained, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself . . . If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch. . . . (vs. 4b, 6a)

What a frightening prospect. However, along with the admonition, we receive a promise. When we abide in Him, our desires are continuously refined or purified because we are receiving from Him. Jesus also said, ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified. (v. 7a,8a)

Originally published October 16, 1987.

Pruning—Forging

God doesn’t promise a life without problems, and sometimes those problems even originate with Him. Jesus compared the Father to a gardener who cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful. (Jn. 15:2 NIV)

Perhaps that’s why we’re more aware of God’s presence during periods of stress or difficulty than when things are going well. He’s getting our attention, showing us things that need changing.

Isaiah provides another metaphor for God’s dealings in our life. There it’s the process of a blacksmith who forges change on an anvil. Isaiah says God created our exposure to the blacksmith who who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. (Is. 54:16) The “work” is changing the iron—our iron wills.

But through times of God’s work in our lives, His sustaining power never leaves us. When He’s done, we emerge stronger, ready to stand against spiritual attacks. We’re ready to respond to Him and to do good things.

Originally published September 21, 1984.
Picture: Lindenwood Park, Fargo, 2008. Picture by Solveig.

He Doesn't Do Patches

Jesus drew from the struggles of everyday living when He used wineskins to illustrate the difficulty of moving into something new. He said it doesn’t work to sew new material onto old material. If we do, “the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins. . . .” (Mk. 2:21,22 NIV)

This illustration could be disheartening because we all have a past, and our past experience puts us alongside all the other old garments or old wineskins! If new wine stands for a new or fresh touch from God, our past poses problems and we won’t be able to receive a new touch from God.

But God doesn’t patch something when it needs fixing—He doesn’t do patches. Rather, He transforms. He changes the entire garment or vessel. He not only pours out new wine, He prepares the vessel or heart that will receive it.

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. . . . (II Cor. 5:17a NIV)

Originally published June 14, 1985.