Growing up on a farm, Spring meant planting season. But scattering seed is not enough to assure a successful harvest. Jesus reminded us of that in His well-known parable of the soils (Luke 8). On the farm we spent many hours in soil preparation, because the right kind of conditions makes a better harvest more likely.
So too in our spiritual walk. Preparing our ‘soil’ to allow God’s Word to take root in our lives will help us experience fruitfulness. Here are three things you can do to prepare for God to work in your life:
- Worship: Engaging in worship is like a gentle rain that softens the hard ground in our hearts. Ps 65:10/ Col 3:16*
- Confession: Remove the ‘weeds’ of sinful habits that entangle us. (Heb 12:1-2/1 John 1:9) “He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn’t reserve a plot for weeds.”— Dag Hammarskjöld
- Prayer. Prayer raises the temperature of our ‘soil’ to more readily receive God’s Word and His guidance (2 Chron. 7:14/Phil 4:6).
And while you’re engaged in each discipline, remember to plant.
Hosea 10:12:
“Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come
and shower righteousness upon you.”
The mission of Faith Radio is to reach people for Christ and nurture believers in their faith. Every day we’re ‘tilling the soil’ of God’s Word and His work in our world, and how we can live out our faith in ways that please Jesus. We’re praying for a rich harvest of blessing in your life in the season ahead.
Ephesians 3:17 TLB:
“May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.”
Psalm 65:10:
“You drench the plowed ground with rain,
melting the clods and leveling the ridges.
You soften the earth with showers
and bless its abundant crops. “
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Col 3:16
This article was written by Neil Stavem, Station Manager of Faith Radio.