Fertile Soil

I was reading this morning from Mark 4; in this Jesus is talking about the different seeds that fall on different kinds of soil. Some seeds fell on the ground and birds immediately came and ate the seed. Other seed fell on rocky soil. The plant sprang up quickly then soon died, because the roots had no nourishment. Other seed fell among thorns that choked out the tender blades. Then at the end there are the seeds that fall on fertile ground. They produce a crop that is bountiful and full of grain. There are different times in my life that represent all of these different plantings.

First, there is the seed that fell and the birds came and quickly ate up the seeds. I was raised in the church, but I never really listened to the word. I was not ready to hear. I was young and wanted to do things "my way." I heard, but I did not listen and apply what I heard to my life.

Next, is the seed that fell on rocky soil. I graduated high school from a private Christian school. After graduation I attended a mission program, where I studied the bible for one year in order to do mission work. Some things happened during this time and I did not go to the mission field. After this I attended ACU, a Christian University. During all of these years, I was hearing the word. I wanted to live for God and his design for my life, but His words were not really sinking into my heart. So I would hear and try for a little while, but soon I was back doing things "my way."

The seed that fell among the thorns represents the next stage of my life. During my first marriage, I wanted desperately to have a Christian home, be a good wife and raise a good family. I tried for some time to do this. The pressure that my ex-husband put upon me represents the thorns that chocked the tender blades. I was more willing to do as he desired, rather than what God wanted from me. I was in survival mode. If you try to live in survival mode, you will eventually be smothered out.

The seed that fell on fertile ground represents my life after I had tried things "my way." When I was finally willing to listen to God and do what he wanted me to, my life changed. It was hard work. Growing is not an easy thing to do, which is why it is called "growing pains." I had to take each and every day and try to the best of my ability to change the soil that I was growing in. God was amazing during this time. There is no way that I could have done this on my own. He was the fertilizer and the farmer. He change the soil, that I had grown accustom to, to fertile soil. The weeds were up rooted and the young hurting plant was protected. I had to see the people who were there trying to help me. If you are in a field of weeds, you cannot see the other plants trying to yield a good harvest. He surrounded me with me with good plants; I had to open my eyes and heart to these good people in order to survive.

God has always been in my life. He has never changed. I was the one; I was the one that had to be receptive. I was one in charge of my life and my destination. God was steady and willing to help. He is my life. He gives me life. Since I finally gave my life over to God; things in my life have turned out better than I could ever have imagined. Even if bad things happen to me, even if weeds start to surround me once again, I will never be that tender shoot unable to live. Life is in me because God is the one that gives me life. I am not the one that has to survive, he will protect me. He is my gardener and as long as I look at Him, instead of my surroundings, I will thrive.