Luke 8:4-15
How we are responding in the time of coronavirus is a revealing of how are hearts are responding to the word of the Lord to us.
The responses to the word in a tough time reveal our hearts. How we receive in “good times” is an indicator, but how we receive in “tough times” is another key indicator.
There are hearts who are simply hard and the enemy rips away the word of the Lord given as soon as that word comes to us. There are hearts that simply won’t hear what the Lord is saying. That is tough to comprehend at times.
There are hearts in rocky soil. The word of the Lord comes, times have been tough, they hear with JOY. Yet, the soil is rocky and the roots of the seed don’t take. The heat of coronavirus keeps beating down… and that seed is lost.
There are hearts in thorny ground. The word of the Lord comes in this tough time and they hear and think this is right. Then, the coronavirus keeps going and going… the cares of the world, the busyness, even the “good things” of life distract us. Mature fruit is lost.
There are hearts in good soil. The word of the Lord comes. In spite of the beating heat of coronavirus, fruit is born. A harvest comes. This is not about “numbers.” This is not about church attendance. This is about the fruit of the Kingdom being produced. And the fruit of the Kingdom IS being produced. Hearts are responding because those hearts in good soil are always read to respond. Coronavirus is another season. Ready hearts take in the season and hear what the word of the Lord is in that season.
The variable isn’t the word of the Lord. It isn’t the coronavirus. The variable is our hearts.
Teach me, Lord, to have a heart ready to receive your word in each season of life. My heart needs the Holy Spirit to turn over this soil so I am ready to hear you in this season. Help me as I remove the rocks and thorns. Empower me as I allow the Spirit to till up the hard ground of my heart. I am weak. In you, I am strong. In this season may I bear the fruit of the Kingdom. Amen
Apprentice 2 Jesus 