Our Heart’s Condition

Our Heart’s Condition

The Parable of the Sower is familiar to most Bible readers.

The Sower (representing Jesus Christ) sows the seed of the Gospel) scatters His seed indiscriminately over the earth, without regard to whether the place the seed is receptive to it, or not. He gives every kind of soil a chance to be fruitful.

The central idea of this parable is that the soil (representing the human heart) either has the capacity to receive the seed and be fruitful, or it does not. That is the core issue here.

You see the seed is how God initiates a relationship with men and women. It is all about the seed. Jesus is the sower and he scatters the seed of the Gospel to everyone. If this seed finds an entrance in the human heart, He can establish a connection – a relationship with the, Once he does that he can begin transforming their lives.

If, however, something comes between and prevents that seed from gaining entrance, that man or woman is prevented from having a meaningful relationship with God. It is all about the seed, (God’s Word), and the soil, (the condition of the human heart) that determines whether we can know God or not.

This is a basic reality. You cannot know God if you do not receive His Word and believe what it says. If you receive this seed, you can know Him; if the condition of your heart prevents the seed from entering your heart, you will be excluded from having a meaningful relationship with Him. It’s as simple as that.

I should point out that this Parable of the Sower does not tell us how to prepare our hearts to receive God’s seed; it merely states the present condition of the soil, and its consequences. This information is provided elsewhere in Scripture.

So, if I detect my heart’s condition is not receptive to the seed of God’s Word, can it be changed, and if so, how?

Hosea and Jeremiah together have the answer:

Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12b – NASB)

“Is not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? (Jeremiah 23:29 – NASB)

• The hard, unreceptive ground of our hearts must be broken up.

The responsibility to do this is ours.  God tells us to; Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord. Don’t put it off; time is of the essence.

• God’s promise is that, once the fallow ground is broken up, He will rain down righteousness upon us:

Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

• The means to break up our fallow ground has been provided.

not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? (Jeremiah 23:29 – NASB)

All we have to do is to seriously engage ourselves with God’s Word, and a process of transformation will begin. The fire will burn up the thorns and the hammer will break up the rock hard condition of our hearts. In time, the soil of our hearts will become more and more receptive to the seed of God’s Word. It is certain to be a painful process, but the rewards will justify any pain and anguish endured.

A Change of Heart

(© Friday 17^th April 2015 0 by Christopher Shennan)

…Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12b – NASB)

“Is not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? (Jeremiah 23:29 – NASB))

Some think that their heart’s condition,

Is beyond their power to change;

They accept their wayward nature,

Is beyond their scope and range.

Its true God alone can change you,

But He’s called you to play your part;

He’s called you to make an effort

To prepare the ground of your heart.

There’s a process you must follow;

There’s a sowing of seed you must do.

The fallow ground must be broken,

Before God’s seed can enter you.

How can I break this hardness?

How can I dig up this hard ground?

How can I make my heart answer

To God’s Voice I hear all around?

God’s Word is just like a fire,

Like a hammer that shatters stone;

Has power to make my heart listen,

And to receive God’s seed alone.

So I’ll let God’s Word disturb me;

I’ll let it fertilize my soul –

It will change my disposition,

And make my broken spirit whole.

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The Sower (Le semeur) by James Tissot. This image is in the public domain.