No More!
Psalm 140, 142 • Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12)
Micah 3:9-4:5 • Acts 24:24-25:12 • Luke 8:1-15
The parable in Luke 8:1-15 has been called the parable of the sower or the seed but I’m choosing to focus on the soil. The soil represents our hearts and our willingness or capacity to respond to Jesus’ message. Our hearts must be “good and upright” (verse15) if we are to hear and obediently “pay attention” to Jesus’ words (verse 8).
He describes 4 conditions of soil (hearts) and explains in gardeners’ terms why the seed did or did not bear fruit. Of particular significance to me is the seed that fell among thorny plants and was choked out.
Some commentators teach that thorns represent distractions in our busy, hectic lives. The thorns I’m struggling with are of a different type.
For the past few months, I’ve struggled with discouragement and fear. Dr. Catherine Meeks visited St. Paul’s last year and quoted John O’Donohue eloquently:
“May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.”
Is it possible I’m letting fear choke out Jesus’ message of encouragement, love, peace, and joy in my heart? Am I paying more attention to the daily news briefings and less to Psalm 91, thus disallowing God’s message to bring forth fruit in good soil? I pray I am not, but if I am, may I “waste my heart no more.”
Written by Barbara Batson
Barbara continues to miss good friends and in-person fellowship at St. Paul’s.
Dr. Catherine Meeks is an author and director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta, GA.
John O’Donohue (1956-2008) was an Irish writer, priest and Hegelian philosopher. This passage is from A Morning Offering, date not known.