Where Do You Stand?

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Opening Prayer

Gracious Lord, You know the twists and turns inside me which nobody else sees. Bring the power of Your Word today.

Read Matthew 13:10-23

^[10] The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” ^[11] He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ^[12] Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ^[13] This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. ^[14] In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. ^[15] For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ ^[16] But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. ^[17] For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. ^[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.”

Meditate

The most important meeting place in the world is where the Word meets our hearts–where logos meets kardia.

Think Further

This is the headwaters of all of Jesus’ parables. What happens when the Word of God strikes us? Here Jesus maps out the dense topography of the human heart, leading us into its dark riddles. He swings the lamp of truth down into our evasions and compromises, so that, in the end, we might wake to God’s coming, “For this people’s heart has become calloused…” (15).

There is the heart which never was penetrated (19). “Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; and all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil” (Gerard Manley Hopkins). The Word comes, but there is no place for wonder, no open doorway. Life can become a scenery-less subway ride of self-protection. Cynicism can harden us, as can disappointments, betrayals and bitterness. This path seems most obvious in other people. But what about my own heart?

Here is another soil which resists the life: the shallow heart (20). Some moment has brought the touch and thrill of God, but it never moves beyond the first breaths of inspiration, never sets roots. This soil never discovers depths of intimacy with God by traveling through the unwelcome valleys of the shadow of death. It wants to stay unbruised. We don’t want to die or repent. Simply put, we don’t want to dwell hours and seasons with God; we just want what he brings. So when troubles come, we drift away. And then the heart is choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life (22); here are the secret bondages we carry around. God is wonderful, but we have given the world equal access to the upper room of our hearts.

And the good soil? The gift comes when we hold on to the Word in stillness, allowing it to invade, and go on penetrating forever, giving Christ space to dwell and reign.

Apply

Pray through this parable again slowly. Where do you sense Jesus is gently exposing the terrain of your life this moment? Pray through this parable again slowly. Where do you sense Jesus is gently exposing the terrain of your life this moment? What do you believe he is longing to do within you?

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus, I am so much exposed by this parable–the dullness of heart, shallowness, compromises. I ask You now to plow up my heart and bring the dawn of a new day.

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