Our Hearts; the Soil

 What kind of soil is my Heart?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase (1Corinthians 3:6).

​According to this scripture, there is a divine allocation for increase on every seed planted on a good soil. In other words, the condition of the soil matters as well as the seed. For any increase to take place, there MUST be a seed (or seeds) planted on a good soil. No good soil, no good increase.

In this context, "the seed is the word of God" (Mark 4:14) while our hearts is the recipient soil. Several people receives the same gospel, but reacts differently to it. Just like a common adage that 'the same rain showered on sugarcane falls on the bitter leaf. So, what makes this difference?

Thoughts

• Why are some people reluctant to hear the gospel?
• Why two friends, husband and wife or siblings will go to church together, one get blessed while the other didn’t?
• Why  some Christians never get blessed with the Word of God?

​Let's quickly look at the scriptures: The parable of the sower

Mark 4:14-20 
14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, [a]accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

According to the parable of the sower, there are 4 categories of church- goers: 

1. The 'Footpath' (Hard Heart) 
The main concern with this category of people is they come to the church without an expectation. Their hearts is frozen, hardened and unwilling to allow the Word of God. Unfortunately, this group of people miss out of the blessings in presence of God. 

We know that truly the issues of life could make a life hardened. However, the choice is yours to soften and allow God.

Signs of a Footpath heart

• Troubled, bad experience of life, and are depressed -worn like a footpath. 
• The more issues of life in such a life (footpath), the more “packed down” the dirt becomes. 
• And sadly, any seed (Word of God) that fall on the footpath cannot penetrate down into the soil (Heart) because birds eat the shallow seeds even before it could take root in the soil. 

​MARK 4 vs15
‘The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 

2. The Rocky soil (Stony Heart)
A rocky heart has no deep roots. They only pray and meditate the Word of God on every Sunday. They are the shallow Christians and are easily shifted away by pleasures of life e.g. waywardness to get money for the latest phones. Are there anyone like that around you? Please pray for them.

Signs of a Rocky heart

• No deep roots in God -  change faith in and out of God.
• In rocky places, the hard rocks block the roots.
• Any seed luckily growing in the thin soil amidst the rocks will soon wither due to intense heat and lack of deep root.

MARK 4 vs16 - 17
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

3. Thorn soil (Thorny heart)
This category of people are present physically, but mentally away from God.  Just like a thorny soil, it is obviously difficult for a good plant to survive or flourish in that odd circumstances.

Signs of a Thorny heart

• The deep issues of life SWALLOW them up. They expedite their energy on worry. Examples of deep issues are building houses, becoming best selling artists or world champion, using flashy cars, getting appointment to top positions, winning elections into parliament etc.
• The thorn take over the good plants. The strong roots of the weeds use up all the nutrients in the soil, and the plants are left with nothing.
• Seeds or plants barely grow at all; they don’t produce fruit or vegetables.​

Mark 4:18-19
​18 And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word, 19 and the cares of the [a]world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

4. Good soil (Good heart)
As believers , we ought to be in this category of people. They are always excited to come to the presence of God.

King David said in Psalm 122:1 
I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

The good heart comes with an expectation. They are optimistic. They leave all worry to God, while they focus on the steps forward and it's positive outcome. Leave all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1Peter 5 verse 7
​
​Signs of a Good soil

• ​Always prepared and optimistic to come to church
• Are healthy and growing in God via meditation of the Word of God.
• Are willing and passionate about the Kingdom of God - they share the Good news all the time.

​And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted’ 

Tips to be a Good soil

1. Be prepared ahead for your exams, interviews, workplace etc
   
2. Commit your life and it's entirely to God for guidance.
   
3. Cast all burden to God. Worry can't take you anywhere else than problem 1Peter 5:7
   
4. Always allow God and be optimistic in His presence. ​​

Conclusion

The word of God can never fail. It always produces fruit’ (Isaiah 55:11). So, if God’s promises are not yet fulfilled in our lives, we need to self-examine ourselves;  ‘What kind of soil is my Heart?’ 

1. Are we a surface person – thin-skinned and easily offended? (FOOTPATH)
2. A shallow person with no spiritual root system? (ROCKY HEART)
3. Are we thorny ground? Are ‘the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things’ choking the spiritual life out of us? (THORN HEART)
4. Or are we rich, fertile ground that produces results? (GOOD HEART)

Reflection

What type of soil are you in God?

Prayers

Dear God, please help me to be deeply rooted and nourished in you. Amen

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