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. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Dear God, sometimes the only way to take rocky soil and turn it into good soil is to take a jackhammer to it. Sometimes the only way to get rid of the thorns is to take a tool and completely rip the soil up so that I can get the weeds out by the root. Well, when it comes to my heart, I need you to be my jackhammer and my plow. If I want to have fertile soil in my heart into which you can plant your seeds then I need to be ready to have you deal with the parts that are not fertile.

For the first eight years of my Christian life, I had no fertile soil. I was young and my I didn’t know what suffering really was yet. I just knew that I was a sinner and I needed you to forgive me and make me clean. But the part of having the Holy Spirit come and take up residence in a fertile heart that would allow deep roots took something special.

Well, over 30 years later, I am still finding the rocky places that need attention. They need your hammer and your plow. And then I have friends and family members who need the same thing. As I am understanding this concept more and learning to connect the Holy Spirit’s power and authority in my life and the type of soil that my heart provides for the Holy Spirit to live in and grow, I can see how that plays out in others’ lives as well. It is giving me some clarity for them and ways to pray for them that I haven’t before. For the new Christian. For the scorned wife. For the person who has experienced tragedy. I am finding myself praying for them in different ways now.

Father, you know the individuals on my heart this morning, including myself. Make all of our paths straight so that they will lead straight into your presence. And when that soil is ready, we will then be able to have the Holy Spirit growing fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, self control) that bring you glory and help your kingdom to come and your will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen