A Hundredfold

Daily Reading: Mark 4

Scripture Focus:  Other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. (Mark 4.8)

Devotional Thought: When Jesus taught this parable, he identified the seed as the Word of God.  So we can plant with confidence since all the seed is good.  And it is always planting season!  We may say, “Four months more,” but Jesus says, “Now!” 

Since the seed is good, and since it is always planting season, then the variable is in the soil.  But, what can we do to prepare the soil to produce?

• The first concern we need to have is getting cold, sin-hardened soil ready to receive the seed.  We do that through prayer, witnessing, forgiveness, and compassion!  If the seed doesn’t get into the soil, it will never germinate.  If it doesn’t germinate, it won’t grow. 

• Then, we must take care to give the seed a deep soil where it can put down roots.  We do that by getting people connected to a local church for worship, a small group for encouragement and care, and even an individual mentor who will journey with them.  As rocks are uncovered, they can be carefully removed with the help of loving Christians. 

• Finally, we have to help the growing Christian deal with the weeds of life.  Satan is always sowing weeds among the wheat.  We must daily pull the weeds in our own lives before they grow so large as to overshadow the message we share.  We also, by example and instruction, must help young Christians identify and pull the weeds in their own lives - but gently, lest we harm them or ourselves.

In addition to using good seed, let's be good gardeners, preparing the soil of our own lives and those around us that we might produce a hundredfold!

Prayer: Lord, help me to tend to the soil of my own heart first and then to prepare the soil of others' hearts that we may together produce fruit for your harvest.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 18.25-30

25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;

26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.

28 For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

30 This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.