Man’s heart is like soil, capable of improvement in order to bear good fruit; however, the preparation of the heart is our responsibility.
Among the types of ‘heart soils’ that we discussed from the parable of the sower, It is the second and third types that are the most dangerous. With the first ‘wayside’ heart soil, you can tell there is no productivity and deal with it as such. However, with the second and third types, the ‘stony’ and ‘thorny soils’, you may see something growing but it’s either shallow with no roots or it is growing among weeds and thorns and producing no fruit.
In agriculture, land is sometimes allowed to lie fallow that it might become more fruitful. However, in its fallow condition, the land soon becomes overgrown with thorns and weeds. On one hand, the land receives rain and sunshine but it becomes overgrown with thorns and weeds, and is unfruitful. On the other hand, the land hardens up and is not even able to receive water and other nutrients. Whatever is sown on such ground becomes unfruitful because the roots are compromised and cannot receive nutrients and bear fruit.
Fallow land, therefore, is unusable, idle and wasted. The farmer needs to “break up” his fallow ground, that is, clear the field of weeds, break and till the land before sowing seed. Tilling is simply turning over and breaking up the soil. This is what the bible admonishes us to do in preparing our hearts…
Jeremiah 4:3 NLT
“This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard [fallow] ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.”
Hosea 10:12 NLT
“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard [fallow] ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’”
PREPARE YOUR HEART
To help us know how to prepare our hearts, let us consider what the bible says in Ezra 7:10, concerning Ezra the priest, who prepared his heart towards the word of God…
“For Ezra had PREPARED his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” [NKJV]
“For Ezra had SET his heart (RESOLVED) to study and interpret the Law of the LORD, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” [AMP]
“This was because Ezra had DETERMINED to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.” [NLT]
REFLECTION AND PRAYER
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you which areas you need to work on. He is with us, as our Helper, to help us in these things. Repent of any hardness of heart and disregard for the word of God. Repent of giving other things, especially the cares of the world, a priority over the word of God.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can make reading the word a priority in your every day life; ask Him to give you understanding as you read. Resolve and determine to do this.
Your only concern is to keep your resolve towards the word – reading, studying and obeying it. Very soon, the fruit in your life will be obvious to all.
Fulfilling Our Theme For 2024: “Building The Highway And Lifting The Banner”
“And in that day, there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him…. (therefore) Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples!” [Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 62:10]
Women In Tune | QUIVER | Cedars House Christian (International)