Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Some of the sower’s seed “fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit” (Matthew 13:8).
I want that kind of good ground. But if I don’t have it, how do I get it (or become it)?
It’s in how I hear the Word (Matthew 13:19, 20, 22, 23).
How I hear the Word, how I receive it — that’s a choice I get to make.
Another choice I have is to ask God to create in me a soft heart, a receptive heart, an obedient heart.
It is the choice to live “by every word of God” (Luke 4:4).
When our hearts and minds are exposed to the Word of God, we must choose a response. Which of these might be yours?
Rejection. This is the worst of all possible responses because it is the only scenario that’s hopeless as far as the seed is concerned. Jesus put it this way: “Some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up” (Matthew 13:4). I ask you, how shall the seed sprout when the birds have snatched it away and eaten it?! My plea to us all is to not ever reject any message of God through His Word.
Cautious acceptance. This happens when the Word does not receive free, full access to our lives. Recognizing it as God’s inspired message to us, we readily give it intellectual assent. However, we put some restrictions on just how zealously we will live it. As Jesus said, “Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away” (Matthew 13:5,6). In this response, we don’t want to deny the Word access to the soil of our lives, but neither do we want to be overly radical in living it out. A nice plant results, but it never produces fruit. The plant soon dies in the face of opposition, tribulation, and testing. If you see this happening in your life, confess it to God promptly and surrender yourself to living His ways without restriction.
Two other possible responses are distracted acceptance and unreserved acceptance.
Read the full article: Our Response to God’s Word
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