TweetHow are you at listening to God?
Jesus told a story about a farmer who sowed seed. Some fell on the rocky path, and got snatched up by birds. Some fell on the rocky soil, and sprouted, but had no root and died quickly. Other fell on the thorny soil, and grew with the weeds, and got choked out. Some feel on good soil. It grew and produced a crop. Jesus told his disciples that the seed is the word of God, and the soil represents the condition of the human heart. Jesus said the good soil ‘stands for those with a noble and good heart, who heard the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.’ (Luke 8:15)
If we are going to be fruitful for God, we have to be good listeners. Jesus often challenged people with phrases like, “He who has ears to hear, let them hear.” “Be careful how you listen.” If we are going to be careful listeners, we must guard the condition of our hearts. The seed, the word, is always powerful. The only thing that varies is the condition of our heart. Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well spring of life.” We must guard our heart with all diligence. Unguarded hearts become hard places, resistant to God. Unguarded hearts become unreceptive places, unfruitful for God.
Most Christians that I know do not become hard to God intentionally. It isn’t that they decide to become resistant and rebellious to God – they sort of drift into it because they leave their hearts unguarded. They are unaware of the subtle decline in the condition of their hearts, and then one day they find their hearts hard to God, and unfruitful places. Above all else, guard your hearts.
The deeper work of God begins with a broken and contrite heart. Too many Christians focus on behavior management, rather than heart conditioning. Yet, Jesus said, “it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.” Above all else, guard your heart.
So, how do you guard your heart? I actually think the unproductive soils in Jesus parable of the sower (Luke 8) give us insight into how to guard our heart.
First, guard your heart against the lies of the enemy. Jesus said the seed that fell on the path, Satan snatched up. How does he snatch up the truth of God? He tells us lies. God tells you that you are loved, that he loves you so much, he sent his Son for you. Yet, we sin. We mess up. Sometimes Satan plants doubts and lies in our minds, “How could God love you when you behave like that?” We must guard our hearts against the lies of the enemy by standing on the truth of God’s Word. Claim it. God never lies.
Second, guard your heart during times of testing. The seed on the rocky soil, grew quickly, but Jesus said during time of testing, they fell away. Satan wants to turn our times of hardship into times of temptation – times when we would doubt God. He wants to tell us that God wouldn’t allow this to happen to us, if God were good. He wants to convince us not to trust God. If we don’t trust Him, we won’t follow Him. We will rebel. But, the truth is, God redeems our times of testing to make us more like Jesus. It doesn’t mean He sent the hardship our way. Some people are abused. God doesn’t send abuse. That would indicate God does evil – that’s a lie. But, even abuse, an evil tool of the enemy, God can redeem to make you more like Jesus. This is the promise of God’s Word (Romans 8:28-39; James 1:1-5). Guard your heart in times of testing. God is good; don’t let the enemy tell you otherwise.
Third, guard your heart from the distractions of life. Jesus said the seed that fell in with the thorns grew up, but never produced crops, because it was choked out by riches, pleasures and worries. Sometimes Christians get sidetracked by the things of this world. They take their eyes of eternal things, take their eyes of Jesus, and get consumed with temporal things. Too often I have seen someone once on fire for Christ, fall away slowly, because of the pleasures, riches and worries of life. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
How are you listening to God these days? What is the condition of your heart? Above all else, guard your heart!
Photo Credit: Pictoscribe via Flickr
I am amazed at the insights you have given us into this passage. I had not really listened before, and did consider this passage a lesson in behavior management. Now that I understand that it is the condition of my heart that is the most important thing, a weight has lifted off of my shoulders. Why is it that whenever I look to improve my relationship with God, I am looking for things to DO and not looking to bring my heart closer to His? All it does is make me feel even more unworthy and farther away! Thank you for your words that opened this passage of scripture to my blocked up ears!
Hi Beth,
Thanks for your response. It is the nature of religion to focus on behavior modification, accompanied with guilt & shame. It is the nature of God to focus on the heart accompanied with grace and redemption. Every great spiritual battle is won on the battle ground of the heart. If we can win the battle for the heart, behaviors will follow. Jesus said it is out of the overflow of the heart that we think, and act. God bless you,
Rob
Hi Rob.
Where is the verse that you quoted Jesus on? I know of the one about out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, or something to that effect, but would love to find this other one, too, that Jesus said. It reminds me of the verse about how in Him we live and move and have our being. Thanks.
Admin note: Eric – I need an email address if you want me to respond. Thanks!
I sent it to you in a post.
Sorry – it is missing the domain. I got the first part, but no “@______.com”.
Hi Eric,
Same verse. Different translation. Matthew 12:34 is one place Jesus said something like this. Here is the NKJV. “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Peace,
Rob
P.s., Eric, it is Todays New International Version that translates this way. Matthew 12:34, “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Rob
Interesting for me is that the good soil represents people with good and HONEST hearts. Honesty is critical to objective listening and being teachable. If we only hear what we want to hear, then we become incapable of loving truth. Jesus said the parable of the sower was the most important. Good word!
Good word, Steve. Honest hearts are humble and contrite before God. Oh, that all of us could stand before God with good and noble hearts! May it be true of us!
Rob