The Soil of Your Heart

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  It’s made of delicious ingredients fresh from God’s Joy garden!

            The Parable of the Four Soils…is a story that Jesus used to teach the multitudes, his disciples and now, us!  The beauty of the Word of God is that its value never diminishes. This parable still teaches such an important lesson for Christians in today’s society.

            Matthew, Mark and Luke recorded this parable in their gospels. It tells about a farmer who scatters seed which falls on four different types of ground or soil.  Let’s note that in this parable, the SEED is a constant.  It’s a symbol of God’s continuous desire to plant good seeds in our hearts. The FARMER (or SOWER) is also a constant.  God is always there, continually scattering good seeds…generously.  BUT the SOIL is the variable.

            Four different types are listed:

·         The hard soil represents someone who is hardened by sin

·         The stony soil pictures a person who delights in hearing the Word; but his heart is not changed

·         The thorny soil depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is so full of the pursuit of riches, pleasures, and lusts til the good seed has no room to grow.

·         The good soil portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word of God.

                Prepare the soil of your heart so that seeds of joy may sprout, grow and flourish.