Tuesday
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Jesus' parable of the sower challenges us to examine the condition of our hearts. Just as a farmer prepares soil for planting, we must prepare our hearts to receive God's Word. Today, reflect on any "rocks" or "thorns" in your life that may be hindering spiritual growth. Are there distractions, worries, or sins that need to be removed? Ask God to help you cultivate good soil in your heart, making it receptive and fertile for His truth to take root and flourish. Consider practical steps you can take to create more space for God's Word in your daily life.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Jesus' parable of the sower challenges us to examine the condition of our hearts. Just as a farmer prepares soil for planting, we must prepare our hearts to receive God's Word. Today, reflect on any "rocks" or "thorns" in your life that may be hindering spiritual growth. Are there distractions, worries, or sins that need to be removed? Ask God to help you cultivate good soil in your heart, making it receptive and fertile for His truth to take root and flourish. Consider practical steps you can take to create more space for God's Word in your daily life.