Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

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Read

Mark 4:1-20 (NRSV)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that

‘they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”

And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

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Reflect

While I do truly love music from the Romantic Period, I also listen to country music. It’s the lyrics that get me…. stories about life, love, loss, family, time rolling on, sunny days and pick-up trucks.

The cool thing about country music and, oddly enough, parables is that you can find your story within them. I’ve never heard a song that completely fits my life, but I may identify with many parts of it. I could change a few situations or names in the verses and then it would become my story.

In the above parable, sometimes I feel like I’m the soil…accepting the seed…the teachings and blessings of Jesus. If I choose to let “the world” rule my life, God doesn’t have a chance of using me for anything worthwhile…I’m just a weedy mess. But sometimes, when I choose to put aside the distractions of this world, when I allow myself to become vulnerable and selfless, then I am good soil where these teachings, thoughts, and opportunities can grow and bloom. If I manage to attach an action to the love, grace, mercy, kindness, and joy that God showers on me every day, I feel like I am the sower…one of many sowers…a follower of Christ…sharing God’s love with everyone as I find my way on this journey that is my life.

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Pray

Thanks be to God that every day God gives us new and wonderful blessings to share with everyone we meet. Amen.

Go with God.