Rich Soil

“...some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.” Mark 4:8

Jesus explained His parable to His disciples saying that the sower sows the Word. Some seed are sown on the footpath where the enemy quickly takes it away. Perhaps we do not value the Word generously given, as in all the online seminars and teachings being offered nowadays. During Advent and Christmas I signed up for Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts Bible Study, Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christmas, Parousia’s Advent Pilgrimage, etc., but the days went by so fast, I was only able to listen to so few sessions. 

Then there is the seed thrown on rocky or thorny ground. Of course there is no chance for the seed to take root, so when hard times come, the Word of God is quickly forgotten. We sometimes receive God’s Word with joy, but as the cares and troubles of the world hold sway over our lives, we turn our attention away. It is too much bother to give time to God’s Word when there are so many problems to solve, especially during these abnormally challenging times. Our anxiety can fill our minds and crowd out our good intentions to feed on the Word of God. 

How do we till our hearts to become rich soil so we can hear the Word and the Word will stay with us and we can bear fruit? I believe we have to be creative and use our time, talent and treasure to fight the enemy who so eagerly wants to keep us from valuing the Word so generously sown.

I have read the Bible and prayed daily ever since I was young, but in 2006, I realized I had completely forgotten what I read early in the morning. By 10 am, I would rack my brains but could not recall what I had meditated about. So I decided, being a visual learner, to add pictures to my writings. At first I cut out pictures from magazines to illustrate the Bible verse I was meditating on. Then I started doodling, then painting, then I bought a Bible I could draw on. I now have three Bibles with paintings because there are multiple verses on a page to illustrate. But ever since my surgery, I use my iPad for making pictures because I can’t easily go down to paint early in the morning. 

Using creative tools, and sharing what I pray about is my way of preaching to myself, and my way of remembering God’s rich Word. “I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11) There are many different ways to store God’s Word in our hearts. We just need to find a way that makes us enthusiastic and eager to open the Bible each day, and feed on His Word. In the same way that we need to be wise, innovative, and persistent in our daily occupations which are transitory in nature, so too we need to be the same in pursuing what is of eternal value.