As I read the parable of the soils the other day, it struck me that in three out of four cases the seed, which Jesus tells us in the Word of the kingdom, brings forth no fruit.

It reminds me of another place where Jesus spoke a similar idea.

thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” – Mark 7:13

Now we know that when the Word is sent forth to accomplish something it cannot return empty or void.

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11

So what’s going on with the Word here? Has it lost its power?

Not at all.

The Word of God comes to us and we have two choices. We can partner with it and give place to it so it can grow and bring forth fruit in our lives, or we can crowd it out, or starve it.

For the Word to bring forth fruit in our lives, it takes both our part and God’s part. We must partners with the Word.

If we don’t engage it, the Word is not void or empty.

It judges us.

If the soil of our heart is hard, or rocky, or thorny, the word judges us unfruitful and eventually leaves us alone.

But if it finds us eager and attentive, if we attend to it and feed the word with our meditation, thinking on it day in and day out, acting on it as the Lord shows us where and how, it grows in us and bears fruit.

Friends, today God speaks. Will you partner with what He’s saying to you?

He who has ears, let him hear.

Blessings,

Ben