Just a thought....
"Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil; and at once they
sprang up because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root,
they dried up and withered away..." (Matt. 13:5-6)
"...As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and
at once welcomes and accepts it with joy; yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little
while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is
repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away." (Matt. 13:20-21)
A couple of things in these verses caught my attention recently. First, verse 5 says that
the seeds planted on rocky soil sprang up at once "because they had no depth of soil." The word "because" just jumped
out at me. Why would the lack of soil make them spring up quickly?
Seeds are amazing, really. With just the smallest amount of encouragement they will start
to grow almost anywhere. Most of us have stopped in amazement to see a delicate flower bravely growing in a crack of
seemingly endless miles of pavement. I have written before of seeing trees hanging onto the edges of rock cliffs.
It is almost startling. But, back to my original thought, why would little soil cause a seed to grow quickly?
When certain ingredients are available, seeds grow; it is just how God made them. When there is not room to grow downward
- to grow roots - they will grow upward. However, verse 6 shows the results: "because they
had no root, they dried up and withered away." Shallow soil results in a short life.
Then, as I was reading the meaning of the rocky soil in verses 20-21, I began to ponder
what the rocks represented. Normally I would have thought they represent areas of our lives which need to be healed
or changed - removed because they should no longer be a part of our lives. But then another thought came to
mind.
A couple of years ago, the Spirit began to teach me using rocks as a physical picture of spiritual
revelation. As I walked and hiked, He would show me how some revelation is on the surface, so to speak, while some needs
to be unearthed. Some revelation is small, even broken off of larger understanding, while some is as a mountain.
So, now, with the parable of the sower, I asked the Lord if this picture of rocks representing revelation could be applied.
This is what I see.
There are many in the Body who have a thin layer of soil. They have some of the ingredients
for growth, but not in adequate amounts. Their hearts are tender, to a degree, so they quickly and gladly accept the
Word given to them, but the joy and growth is short-lived. Their lack of growth is reflected in their not
digging deeper for personal understanding and revelation. The uncovered revelation which lies within them, as the
Spirit dwells within them, becomes a stumbling block - a hindrance - to increase.
Let me give an example. Perhaps someone hears the Word spoken concerning healing.
Their instant reaction is joy and excitement, as the Word is refreshing and full of life. However, if they don't
spend personal time and energy studying what the Word says about healing, if when the Spirit begins to show them things
they do not easily understand, they back off of the subject, the original Word of healing dries up and dies because there
is no room in their hearts for the roots of the Word to go deeper.
I Peter 2:6-8 tells of Jesus being the precious chief Cornerstone to those who believe, but a
stumbling block to those who do not. Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:19 say that Jesus is the perfect imprint and image
of God - the full revelation of our Father. So each piece of revelation which comes to us by the Spirit as we daily
seek to know our Lord is a piece of the full revelation - or Cornerstone - of Jesus. Our desire is to know the
fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 3:19) The only way to do this is to live in a constant
state of seeking understanding and revelation of Jesus by the Spirit.
Dig deep. His deep is calling to your deep. (Psalm 42:7)
Uncover the revelations which lie hidden within His Spirit which lives within you. Make room for the
roots of His Word to grow so that when trouble or affliction comes, nothing can yank the Word from your heart. When
testing comes, which it does to all of us, do not stumble because of disobedience or disbelief. (I Peter 2:8)
Uncovering revelation of God's word, by the Spirit, makes room for the growth we all long for,
taking us from faith to faith and glory to glory.
Amy
