The Lord indicated that the fruitfulness of my life will be determined by the presence of God's Word and the quality of the soil of my heart in which that Word is planted. For me to grow spiritually, God's Word needs unchoked access to my life, and the correct conditions to be effective in me.
[Matt13.23, Mark4.20, Luke8.15]
The Lord describes the choking thorns in our heart as 'cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches', 'pleasures of this life' and the 'lusts of other things entering in'. All these things have a common effect of distracting our focus, consuming our thoughts and absorbing our time.
[Matt13.22, Mark4.18-19, Luke8.14]
What does the landscape of the garden of my heart and life look like? Am I cultivating an environment where God can have unhindered influence in my life and His Word can bring forth the fruit for which it was sent? Or is my life more taken with the 'natural' daily issues of living to the expense of knowing God and growing closer to Him?
As a natural garden must be constantly maintained to keep it free from weeds and thorns, so our own hearts must be diligently cultivated, inspected and kept in such a condition that will bring forth fruit with patience. A lack of action and passivity leaves us vulnerable to the seeds of this world settling in our lives so that we will bring no fruit to perfection.
[Luke8.14-15, Prov4.23]
May I be diligent in keeping the garden of my life in a condition that is free from all that would choke and hinder my advance in fruitfulness and Christlikeness.
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