A Parable Comes Home (Day 3 from Cleansing Thoughts)

 

   I knew where this was going, and I also knew the Holy Spirit had more to teach me about the seed that fell among the thorns. “. . . They are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in chock the word and it becomes unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19, NKJV).  Jesus was addressing the issue of the carnal Christian, living more for others than for Him. As I sat there, I took a long look at where my life was going. The Lord had given us our first home, and I had gone back to work because I wanted to get a few things for the house.  In it’s self this wasn’t wrong, however I had allowed the cares of of this world to fill my life with thorns. I still studied, read the Word, and was active in my church, but something had changed. My flower gardens were an outward sign of what was happening in my life. I had allowed the cares of life to steal not only my time, but more importantly, the peace I once had. In Psalm 128:3, a wife is called to be a fruitful vine in the very heart of the home, yet I was now asking myself if I had been unfruitful in showing my family my priorities in life? God first, family second, and my career third. Or have I created an illusion of commitment to God and family values by allowing the cares of everyday living to choke out the peace I once had. Jesus’s words were clear; the person who receives the Word of God among the thorns is unfruitful. The word unfruitful is also used for worldliness or negligence. Ouch, that one hurt! God had used a simple thing my potted plants and flower gardens to get my life back on track. He had called me to be witness of His love and provision to my family and a job that I enjoyed. I had take the path of materialism and was loosing my way. I have learned to trust in the Lords gentle correction and abundant love.

   I was called to be the seed in my family’s lives, planted in good ground, one that hears the Word—accepts it—-and bears fruit. Jesus told his disciples a parable was only for those who had ears to hear and eyes to see His truths; and in so doing, they will understand with their heart. I had created an illusion and the only one I was fooling was myself. 

Let’s look at the flower garden again. In the beginning, we can pull out the weeds easily because the soil is lose from preparing the ground for planting. As the weeds begin to grow their root system is still underdeveloped and can be pulled easily without causing harm to your plants, but as the root system matures, getting stronger and going deeper, it becomes much darker to remove without breaking it off. The weed appears to be gone but the roots are still under ground and will eventually grow back. Remember your flowers are growing too and when this weed grows back getting it out could cause damage to your beautiful flowers. Until we get all the roots, the potential problem is still there.

   Oh, precious child of God, isn’t it wonderful that He loves us so much that He would give us such a powerful message through parables, so simple yet so profound, that we might better understand His word then apply it to our lives. The next evening a scripture came to mind as I was looking at that same pot of bright eyes I thought was dying, it’s from 1st Samuel 16:7, “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks tithe outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NKJV). From all outward appearance, the plant was dying, but now, after giving it the care it needed the plant was renew and will soon be just as beautiful as it was! We look at the things in our life as being okay and justify our actions by our decisions, but God sees the inward leadings of the heart and the potential problems that could arise from the directions that could occur. I needed a heart adjustment in my lifestyle to reestablish my priorities. The illusion of warmth and beauty I had created with the silk plants was fine for my home, but not for my life. God used the neglect of my flower gardens to show me where problems were beginning to take place in my heart. I thank God for revealing this to me, so I could allow Him to remove the weeds before they took root, and restore me to the person He created me to be. 

   I know how hard it is to juggle the busy lifestyles of today. No matter how good our intentions are, work, family, activities, our time never balances out. Our lives have become an illusion for the world to see. But, precious child of God, there is so much more! Jesus said that He came to give us abundant life, but we must have a teachable spirit. Open your spiritual eyes and ears of your understanding to the simple things of life in the lessons we learn from His parables. He’s still teaching today. Are you listening?

“Father, I bring before you this precious child, Open their spirit to hear and see with understanding, so they can receive Your word into their heart. That seed from their life will fall on good ground  and produce a hundreds fold into their lives. May they be the seed planted within their family. Let Your peace guide them.  I pray in Jesus name.  Amen”