+JMJ
A Contemplative Moment from The Parable of the Sower
One of the most popular parables in the bible is The Parable of the Sower.
This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial. As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.
Luke 8:11-15
This parable always seemed to leave me a little agitated, wondering which category I fall under. It seems like it should be blatantly clear which category I fall into, but that never seems to be the case.
I always saw them as levels. Ascending levels starting with the path, to rocky ground, to thorns, to rich soil. But a seed can’t resprout, right? So, how would I move up the levels?
Whatever “level” I am at is where I am stuck, then?
Not according to the Lord.
Choke of Thorns
I have special devotion to the Lord during the Crowning with Thorns. So, of course the thorns in this passage catch my attention.
I imagine the devil with a lasso of thorny vines. He lassos me like a beast and drags me towards him. I am fighting, screaming, clawing. Trying so desperately to at least hold my ground against him. But he inches me backward and with each inch, the thorns grow tighter. Each inch kills the fight within me and I struggle against him less and less.
Nothing I am doing is working.
So, I stop, drop to my knees and pray.
“Lord, please help me…”
Immediately the rope of thorns shatters into a million pieces.
The devil screams in terror and flees.
A bright light glows on the ground at my knees and the ground sprouts forth the most beautiful flowers.
New Seeds
As I was thinking before, a seed cannot re-sprout, exactly. It sprouts, grows, and produces fruit. New seed. That seed is completely different, and the same, as the first seed. It is of the same species of plant, but it would be genetically different from its parent plant. Hopefully, genetically superior.
I feel this coming from the parable for me. I can sprout, grow, and produce fruit in prayer. I can also wither and die back when I am not diligent at it. I can be choked by the things in the world that cause me to sin. There are days when I receive everything from the Lord with joy and other days when I cannot seem to hear Him at all.
The levels are fluid. I move between them depending on many factors. It could change daily to be completely honest. Most of the time I feel like I fall in the grove of thorns.
I’ll be doing well for a while, then a distraction will overtake me from the work the Lord wants me doing. But each time I go to the Lord in prayer, those thorns have less and less power over me. They are shattered bit by bit.
It is in prayer that I grow to the point where I am the same and different. I am me, but a superior version of myself, through Him.
Thrive in Jesus, my Friends!
What level do you feel you fall under right now? What changes can you make to become more fruitful? Is your prayer time consistent every day? What snares does the devil catch you with?