Shownotes
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 794 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God’s Truth through Storytelling – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 794 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend we had the privilege of celebrating our grandson Kip’s 6th birthday. He wanted to have the party at The Big House so his local cousins could also attend. We are thrilled to see him growing both physically and spiritually.
As parents and grandparents, we make sure our children receive proper nutrients and clothing so they can flourish physically. In the same manner, we must be careful to nourish our children spiritually through our daily walk and weaving stories about God into all that we do as Deuteronomy 11:18-20 tells us, “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Jesus often used stories to apply the truths of God to everyday life.
God’s Truth through Story Telling
Jesus loved to tell stories from everyday life and connect them to heavenly truths. There is a reason for that. You can remember stories better than you can remember abstract words. You see things in your everyday life that tie stories back into your conscious mind. You can repeat these stories to others. You can pass these stories down to your children and grandchildren. These recollections and the retelling of Jesus’s stories all help you feel and see the truths in His stories as well as know their spiritual messages when you most need them.
The narrative in today’s verses is one of the most important stories that Jesus told. This story, or parable as they are referred to, has several different uses.
Jesus used it to challenge people to look into their hearts and see what kind of followers they really were. You need to know that you can choose how you hear what Jesus says. In the verses below, the concept of how people hear what Jesus says is presented in terms of how different types of soil receive seeds that are sown and then how the types of soil represent how different people receive Jesus’s teachings. Also, Jesus wants people to know that they actually choose which kind of soil they will be — they choose what kind of heart they have for His good news.
Jesus used this story to alert His disciples to the fate of many of those who follow Him. There are many people who at some point in their journey with Jesus are very excited about following Him. However, more than a few who start down the road of discipleship end up becoming distracted and are unfruitful. Some, regrettably, never even follow Jesus at all — they look up one day, and any interest they had in Him is gone!
Jesus is heartbroken when He sees people who lose interest, not bear up under trial, succumb to temptation, or become distracted by the cares of the world. His disciples needed to know these things happen all too frequently! Just because many reject His message or turn away from discipleship does not mean that you are to quit sharing it with others. You must not give up on someone when his or her heart turns away. Remember, just as you can choose which soil your heart is, that other person can choose to be a different soil, too!
Jesus also told this parable to warn His followers about some of the things that might distract them from a passionate life of productive faith. Jesus wants you to recognize those same kinds of things in your life. They can lead your heart to be poor soil and not respond to the good news of grace.
Notice the three things that can steal your heart away from following Jesus with passion:
- Satan can come and steal away the message of God before your heart accepts it.
- The heat of living for Jesus when the trials and temptations of life can wither your faith before it is fully grown.
- The delight of things, the pursuit of wealth, and the worries of preserving these things can get in the way of your living productive lives for Jesus.
So which message do you most need to hear from Jesus’s words? Why not ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear what Jesus want your heart to hear today in His words of truth in the story of the soils? After Jesus presented this parable, His explanation of its meaning was longer than the parable itself. Why? Because He wants you to determine which type of soil you are. Actual soil “is what it is,” but you can enrich the type of “soil” you are! I encourage you to seek the Spirit’s guidance in enriching the soil of your heart or keeping it a fertile place for Jesus’s words to grow!
· Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
“One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: ‘A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!’ When he had said this, he called out, ‘Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.'”
His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see.
When they hear, they won’t understand.'”
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.”
Let’s end our short devotional today with this prayer: Father, I ask that the Holy Spirit will help me hear the message I most need to hear today from Jesus’ words. I know that I can choose which kind of soil I will be. I also have concern for folks whose hearts are becoming like the nonproductive soils. O Father, please use me to help them turn their hearts back to Jesus. Also, dear Father, I don’t want to be deceived into living an unproductive life because the soil of my heart is bad. So, sweet Holy Spirit, guide me into all truth. Lord Jesus, please help me know the most important things from Your message today that You want me to know, feel, and put into practice. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of the past 793 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!