January 7, 2024

When you take a look at the people through whom God worked in Scripture, they come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. There is really only one thing that is common to them all. They had open and obedient hearts and minds to God. David was referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” Abraham “believed God,” and God rewarded him for it. Noah, in the midst of an exceedingly wicked generation, was true to God and “found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Daniel followed God all the way to the lion’s den—and came out unharmed. The disciples, even with all their flaws and failures, responded to Jesus’ call and left everything and followed Him.
You see, the productive Christian life isn’t the result of great people responding to God. It’s the result of open and receptive people responding to a Great God! Jesus describes the fertile soil as people who HEAR, people who LISTEN, and people who UNDERSTAND. The seed in fertile soil is a great visual of Jeremiah 29:13 which says, “You will seek me, and you will find me when you search for me with all your heart.” God can do AMAZING things in and through the lives of those who are passionate to hear from Him.
Fertile soil is a choice. It’s an attitude of the heart and an openness of mind that anyone can have. Will YOU have hearing ears today? Many will feel a nudge to go to church today. Some will follow that nudge, even though they’d like to sleep in. Some who go will go expecting nothing, grumbling about everything, and go home wondering why they ever went. They had ears but didn’t hear. Others will go asking God to help them to be open to what He wants to say or do. They will sing songs that will touch their heart and give them encouragement. They will hear prayers that help them express their love, devotion, and need. They will listen attentively to God’s Word being preached and find their hearts challenged, strengthened, and changed. Some will even see the face of someone and respond to the nudge of giving a hug, saying a kind word, or asking someone how they’re doing. All of these will go home in awe of how God worked today. Same church. Same service. Different hearts. And it’s all a choice. He who has ears, let Him hear. That’s God’s Word for you today.