You can hide a seed in soil but it won't stay hidden for long. The same is true with that which we hide in our hearts.
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11 NKJV)
Jesus' parable of the sower is all about the condition of our hearts, as represented by various kinds of soil: "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart." (Matthew 13:19)
It is a given that something will grow from our hearts; the only question is whether it will be the word of God or our sinful nature. Jesus said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man." (Mark 7:20-23)
Left to itself, our heart is like an overgrown weed patch. The most natural thing is for our hearts to grow that which is displeasing to God. But, like a flower or vegetable garden, God's word can be planted and cultivated and bear fruit pleasing to him.
The question that begs to be asked is, "How is your garden growing?" Is your heart carefully weeded, the seed of the word of God cultivated and watered? Or is it overrun with sinful weeds?
Using another analogy, our hearts are like computers - "garbage in, garbage out." A God-pleasing "program" cannot run if the commands entered are corrupted. The results are completely consistent with the input.
We are ultimately the sum total of the input into our lives. The greatest delusion of all is to believe that we can sow the things of the world into our hearts and cultivate a spiritual crop. Sooner or later our hearts betray or confirm that which is sown into them.
God's word - ultimately, "the word of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:19) - needs to be liberally sown on a daily basis. It sounds cliché' but it's ultimately true: get in to the word in order for it to get in to you.
Steve
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11 NKJV)
Jesus' parable of the sower is all about the condition of our hearts, as represented by various kinds of soil: "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart." (Matthew 13:19)
It is a given that something will grow from our hearts; the only question is whether it will be the word of God or our sinful nature. Jesus said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man." (Mark 7:20-23)
Left to itself, our heart is like an overgrown weed patch. The most natural thing is for our hearts to grow that which is displeasing to God. But, like a flower or vegetable garden, God's word can be planted and cultivated and bear fruit pleasing to him.
The question that begs to be asked is, "How is your garden growing?" Is your heart carefully weeded, the seed of the word of God cultivated and watered? Or is it overrun with sinful weeds?
Using another analogy, our hearts are like computers - "garbage in, garbage out." A God-pleasing "program" cannot run if the commands entered are corrupted. The results are completely consistent with the input.
We are ultimately the sum total of the input into our lives. The greatest delusion of all is to believe that we can sow the things of the world into our hearts and cultivate a spiritual crop. Sooner or later our hearts betray or confirm that which is sown into them.
God's word - ultimately, "the word of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:19) - needs to be liberally sown on a daily basis. It sounds cliché' but it's ultimately true: get in to the word in order for it to get in to you.
Steve
posted by steve @ 11:23 AM
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