Daily Devotion, October 18, 2019

Devotion:

Read Luke 8:11-15.

  Anybody who has ever put a seed or a plant in some dirt knows the importance of having good soil. Jesus uses that common knowledge about soil to tell a parable about how different people receive and implement the word of God. Some hear it, but do nothing with it. Some hear it and appear to accept it initially, but do not let it become rooted in their lives and soon fall away. Some hear it and make some attempt to make it a part of their lives, but not enough to allow it to overcome the troubles of life, so they also fall away. But some hear it and let it take deep root in their life, so that they produce a bountiful spiritual life.

  The “summer times” of our lives are those times when we “work the soil” of our lives so that the Word and Spirit of God continues to get deeper into us. It is that time to water the soil. When you are feeling spiritually dry, it may be that you have not been spending enough time in personal connection with God in your daily relationship, as well as time with other Christians in worship, study, fellowship and service together.

  It is also that time to pull the weeds that may have begun to take root in the soil. What are those things that you have allowed into your life that are causing you to not be able to grow spiritually? And one thing I have noted about certain weeds over the years: some of them are hard to pull out by the roots. There have been times when I pulled it up and thought I got it out completely, but didn’t get all the root, so it came right back up. Maybe there are “weeds” in your life that you have made only a half-hearted attempt to get rid of.

  Growing a plant can be a marvelous act of creation in which God allows you to participate. God also allows you to participate in growing your life. In both cases, in order to reap the harvest, there is work to do during the “summer time.”

Personal Worship Option:

Give thought and prayer to what you need to do to better prepare the “soil” that is your life so that God’s message and way can grow deeper roots in you.