Have you ever thought of your heart as a bed of soil for the seed of God’s Word to grow? When better than spring—a time known for new growth—to consider the soil of our hearts? How well does it allow the word of the Lord to grow? Won’t you join me this week as we search for answers? You might be as surprised by what we discover!
Fertile Soil
“Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Mark 4:8 NLT
When I was in grade school I asked my father where babies came from. He told me a parent plants a seed and in about nine months the baby arrives. A few days later, I noticed him laughing with my mother while she showed him something. It was a picture that I’d drawn. My teacher had instructed us to make a drawing about where we came from. Based upon my excellent research, I drew a picture of my daddy planting seeds in a garden in one frame and my twin sister and me jumping up out of the ground in the next.
As we’ve considered the soil of our hearts this week, we’ve seen that hardened, shallow, and thorny soils have proven to be insufficient for growth. No precious seed could grow into a productive, multiplying crop in those beds. Likewise, no heart soil of those beds can manifest the type of fruit that the word of the Lord produces. So what soil is effective for growing great fruit? What kind of heart soil receives and allows the word of the Lord to grow?
Fertile soil is the answer. Women who’ve given birth to a lot of children are sometimes referred to as fertile myrtles. Myrtle was a popular baby name many years ago. I don’t know anyone with that name today but I’ve certainly heard the phrase. The fertile part of the phrase speaks for itself; she’s got a fruitful, lush, and productive womb, excellent for growing babies. My mother birthed six babies within an eight-year span. She was certainly a fertile myrtle! Read today’s Dose verse.
Fertile soil is neither too hard for seed absorption nor so shallow that it can’t sustain deep roots. It’s properly maintained to ensure thorns don’t grow up, strangle the seed, and impede its growth. We read in Mark 4:20, … the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted! The fertile soil didn’t just produce a standard amount of crop; it produced a hundred times more than was even planted! God gave that increase.
When we allow our hearts to be tender and receptive to the Word of God and the working of the Hoy Spirit, God gives an abundant increase to our humble and obedient efforts, for His glory.
Are you working with a fertile heart soil today, Sweet Friend? You can be.
Finding the fertile,
Rita