plow

Jesus told a story about a farmer who went out and planted some seed.

i don't know much about farming today, but i've learned that the technique used during the time that Jesus told this story was to sow the seed and then plow the field. this would mix the seed into the soil where birds couldn't get to it so easily, pull up weeds and break up hard ground that had been trampled.


i used to think that it mattered what the soil was like when the seed fell.


but maybe it's more about what happens to the soil once the seed has fallen.

in the story that Jesus tells, the seed represents His Word. and the soil represents our hearts.
and the truth is, as much as we strive to be good soil all the time, we can all relate to each type of soil because we have all been there.
sometimes our hearts are hard, and His words are quickly forgotten.
sometimes our hearts are weary and burdened from the stresses in our lives.
sometimes our hearts are too full of other things to make room for His word.
and sometimes our hearts are soft and ready.

but maybe it doesn't matter what our hearts look like when we hear His Word. because like any seasoned farmer, once the seed has been sown He's going to plow through anyway. He's going to till the soil, move it around, break it up.

i feel like we can't always control the state of our hearts when we come to Him, life happens. and it seems like when we are the least ready to receive Truth is when we most need it.
but the beautiful thing is that it doesn't seem to matter.
He's going to give you a seed, Truth, His word, His life anyway.
but then He's going to want to plow.
He going to want to cut through that soil, mix it up, move it around...break it up.
tearing through barriers that have prevented anything from going deeper than the surface.
uprooting worries and fears.
digging up bitterness and anger you thought had been buried deep.
removing the things that have taken up to much of your time and devotion.
sounds painful.
and in my experience it usually is...
until...
that one seed, that one small portion of life grows and multiplies into abundant life.

so maybe there's no point asking 'what kind of soil are you?'
but rather 'will you let Him plow through?'

sunny

how would we pray if we believed that the answer would always be 'yes'? 
how many of our prayers would line up with our King's heart? with His dream?  

joshua asked for the sun to stop in the sky so they could win the battle. 
who's idea was that?! 
and what kind of courage did it take for him to ask that in front of Israel?  

maybe joshua was completely convinced of God's character. 
maybe joshua knew something about God's heart.  
maybe joshua really believed that the King was for them.  

but...does it really matter where the idea came from?  
the promise of victory was already there... 
did it really matter whether the victory came by hail storm or sunshine? 
i think maybe it did...  

joshua could have asked for another hail storm to finish them off. 
or he could have asked for the ground to swallow his enemies while they ran. 
but he asked for sunshine. for the chance to work with God, to be a part of what God was doing.


so...if we knew the answer would be yes, would we just ask for a quick fix?
or is it possible that His heart might be in more than the result?

space

space is important.

for example:
independence.
or
in dependence.

that space makes a world of difference.
i could live my life independent or i could live my life in dependence on someone or something.

sometimes space is healthy.
sometimes space is harmful.
but i guess it all depends on where i put that space.