Jesus,
Today, just as you were then by the sea, you are my Teacher. You are here with me to speak to me, and I am here to listen to you.
“He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said.” (Mark 4:2)
You speak to me also, in the parables of my life, in the whisper of the morning.
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.” (Mark 4:3)
You are that Sower, Lord, and your Word is the seed that you continually sow in my heart. The only question is, what kind of soil am I for you today?
Sometimes I am like the hard, packed path.
“As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” (Mark 4:4).
My thoughts are so full of noise, and my heart so trampled, that your Word finds no place and the enemy immediately steals it away.
At other times, I am enthusiastic but shallow.
“Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.” (Mark 4:5)
“But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” (Mark 4:6)
Oh, how quickly my faith withers when the first troubles and trials appear.
And, Lord, how often I am full of thorns.
“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.” (Mark 4:7)
But you, in your hope, continue to sow, for you know that I can become fertile soil.
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:8)
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)
Lord, prepare the soil of my heart
Thank you for inviting me into your presence, into the intimacy where you explain the mysteries to me.
He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables.” (Mark 4:11)
I do not want to be among those who only look, but do not see. “so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”” (Mark 4:12).
Convert me, Lord! Forgive me my spiritual blindness.
You are the one who sows.
“The farmer sows the word.” (Mark 4:14).
I confess, Lord, that I am often the one by the path.
“Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” (Mark 4:15).
And I confess that sometimes I am the one on rocky ground.
“Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy,” (Mark 4:16).
“but since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” (Mark 4:17).
Lord, help me to root myself deeply in you.
But most of all, I am afraid of the thorns.
“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word.” (Mark 4:18)
“but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19).
Cleanse me, please. Heal me of the spirit of comparison and the worries that choke out your voice within me.
May I be fertile soil for you!
This is my fervent prayer for today, Jesus. I want to be good soil. I want to hear, receive, and live your Word.
“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:20).
Yes, Lord. May your Word be a true light for my life today, that I might bear fruit for your kingdom.
Amen.
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