Who Are We?

Thought For Today - May 1
Who are we?
By: Robert A. Searles

"Jesus spoke many things unto them in parables, saying: 'Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 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. and some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.' " Mathew13: 3-9.

Later, Jesus explained to his disciples the meaning of this parable. "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. but he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 13:18-23.

Who are we? Which category do we fall under? Are we the one who received the word by the wayside? Are we the one with a stony heart? Are we receiving the word among thorns? Or are we the good ground where the seed of the word of God will be received, take root and bear fruit? How do we receive the word of God? Do we understand it? Do we try to understand it? Do we ask God for wisdom and understanding to help us to understand what he is telling us in his word, or are we like the one by the wayside? Satin is ready and waiting to snatch away from us our understanding and obedience to the word of God.

Is our heart cold and stony? Do we harbor old hurts, and resentments? Do we hide injuries in our heart? Do we cling to worldly pleasures and non-confessed  sins so that our heart becomes stony and unable to allow the word of God to penetrate to the depths of our soul where it will take root and spring up and bear fruit? Are we so entangled in the thorns and cares of our daily lives in this world that all our thoughts are on making a living, taking care of our families, and having a place in society, that the word of God is choked out of our lives and profits us nothing? Or, are we the good ground which Jesus talked about?  Do we desire a better understanding of God's word? Do we search the scriptures daily? Do  we  pray and ask God to give us spiritual understanding and discernment? Do we ask God to forgive all our known sins, take away anger, resentments, grudges and give us love for one another so that the stony heart will become soft and be able to absorb the word of God.

 If we would be untangled from the thorns of daily life, we must believe God's word in its' entirety, receive Christ as our Savior, and trust God to provide for  all our needs, and seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and have the assurance that all these other needs in our life God will provide for our good and his glory. Then we will be the good ground where the word of God will bear fruit in our lives.