We have a treasure in our hands...

Issue 015

I want to start with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi. He said, “You Christians have in your keeping a document with enough dynamite in it to blow the whole of civilization to bits, to turn society upside down, to bring peace to this war-torn world. But you read it as if it were just good literature, and nothing else.”

To me this is a bit of a slap in the face. But sadly, I don’t think Gandhi was wrong. Today as Christians we should be influencing and changing our world because the Word is powerful in our lives. The problem is we read it, but we do not hear it. We read it but we do not live it and we allow the cares of this world to distract us and pull us away.

This is where I see Luke 8: 11-15 being so relevant to today.

Luke starts out by saying the seed is the Word of God – so there is no misunderstanding here.

Now a lot of commentators look at the wayside, the rock, the thorns and the good soil as being the type of ground the seed is sown in; however, I am going to look at this a little differently. I see it as the place where a person is in life - where they are in their walk with God. So, as we look at each one of these, I want to you to ask yourself, where am I right now?

By the wayside

This is someone who isn’t with God or maybe they are but they haven’t really chosen to fully walk His way.  They are going their own way and the Word of God gets sown, it may be even by you. But the problem is that the enemy is there waiting to take that seed away.

I’ve had an experience lately where I shared Jesus with someone and they decided they didn’t want to talk about it. To me this is a person by the wayside, and the enemy is blinding them to the truth. I also know of people who have chosen to make a decision to become a Christian, only because they don’t want to go to hell. They have chosen to stand to the side and are not interested in growing in God or have that personal relationship with Him and any Word they hear, just doesn’t seem to stick.

On the Rock

The next person could very well be someone trusting in God as they are standing on the rock and they hear and receive the Word. Maybe even say, this is great, so encouraging and they stand for a while, but then something comes along and they fall away. I also see many Christians in this place, where they are caught up in the moment, but there is no depth, the seed doesn’t grow. Temptations, distractions or disappointments come along and over time they fall away.

Among thorns

Then there is this person, a Christian, but so caught up in the thorns of the world that any Word they hear is drowned out by all the world has to offer. It says in Luke that there is fruit, so some growth has happened, but it doesn’t make it to maturity, growth stops as the world takes over.

As I am writing this, I am reminded of the verse in Matthew 7: 13–14 …small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” It’s sad that in Luke 8, we only have one out of four people that truly hear the Word.

Good ground

This is the good ground, again a Christian, and it is interesting that they hear the Word with a noble and good heart. Heart here is used to describe the inner self - the centre of your thoughts, feelings and mind.

This person is open to hearing with their heart, with ears tuned to the Word of God. And when they hear it they are ready to hold onto that truth, they keep it and bear fruit with patience. This is a person who has chosen to believe the Word, to treasure it, to stand on it, to cling to it and to endure until they see fruit. In this case they are fully invested, instead of allowing outside distractions choke the message.  

It is interesting that as you read on, Jesus gives a warning to us on HOW we hear. He says,
“…take heed how you hear.” Hearing is vital! And when I say hearing, that is not just hearing His voice, but as we are reading His Word are we hearing what He has to say to us.

Again, in Luke 8:21 Jesus says, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it.”

As we see, Jesus highlights the importance of hearing a number of times and if you read on, the disciples are tested right after this parable. (Luke 8: 22- 24 )

Jesus says, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

What do the discipes do, they panic and become afraid, it seems they didn’t hear what Jesus said.

So are we hearing Him…I don’t feel that I am there yet, as I know at times the world does impact my hearing; busyness impacts my hearing, to do’s impact my hearing.

So, my goal from here, is to ask Him every day to give me ears to hear what He is saying to me in His Word, what He is saying to me throughout the day. And to attune my heart to hearing Him.

I think this is a question for each of us – are we truly hearing and living His Word? Is the Word impacting our life and changing it so much that we are lights that shine bright in a world of darkness.

As Gandhi says…”we have a treasure in our hands.” What are we doing with it?

Hebrews 4:12 ~ For the Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Romans 1:16 ~ For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

Matthew 7:13-14 ~ Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.

Psalm 119:105 ~ Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Matthew 5:15 ~ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

(WEB Version)

Seek Him first in all things and let your life shine His glory.

Blessings ❤️ Amanda

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…" Matthew 6:33

Part of Seek First Collective