Today’s Readings:
Jeremiah 1:1,4-10
Psalm 71:1-6,15,17
Matthew 13:1-9
Jesus tells a parable about how the seed of God’s word is sown in our hearts. There are four interesting scenarios:
The seeds that fell on the EDGE of the path,
The seeds that fell on ROCKY ground,
The seeds that fell among THORNS,
The seeds that fell on RICH soil.
These types of soil represent the human heart and its receptivity to God’s word. The most unfortunate of these is the THORNY ground, covered with all manner of distractions leading to zero focus and poor motivation. What are these thorns? They represent the different influences on our lives:
Persons —friends, colleagues, spouse, relations.
Places —the places you hang out or spend a considerable amount of time.
Things —activities you indulge in, those you consider unnecessary, the content you allow into your mind.
The influences in your life are either thorns or manure, they either enrich you or they are choking the life out of you. If you discover that there are persons, places or things in your life that are preventing the Word of God from taking root, then that is not the natural way we are wired to operate and relate with the world. The next logical thing is to take action. Here are some pointers:
Identify persons, places and things which have become thorns in your life (an easy way of identifying them is that they are occasions of sin).
Pray for such persons and about such places and things. By praying, you are handing them over to God, so that they either shape up or ship out.
Dare to end the relationship with these thorny situations. Cut back on interactions with such persons. Limit visits to such places. And reduce the incidence of use of things which are thorns to your well-being.
Take steps daily to take out these thorns, one at a time. You will be overwhelmed if you decide to get rid of them all at once. Speak less to people that make you gossip. Cut back on your food portions. Limit screen time. Reduce incidences of alcohol or substance intake. Work with a professional to move from gradual withdrawal to complete stoppage.
JUDE-MARY OWOH
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and report to the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to spend quality time in prayer and with Your Word.
Lord, give me the courage to weed out the thorns choking my relationship with You.
Lord, help me to limit my exposure to sources of sin.
Lord, help me to focus on building my character, developing my skills and getting better daily.
Lord, help me to desire and choose eternal joy over passing pleasures.
Lord, let my actions here on earth lead me ultimately to heaven. Amen.
Lord, I thank You because You have called me by name. Touch my heart and fill me with Your presence. Touch my lips and make me eloquent. Give me the courage to witness to You by my way of life, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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