"Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful."
Mark 4:7,18-19
Growing up in the country many families had a garden, ours was no exception. With each passing season, the garden seemed to increase in size. There would be a greater variety of vegetables and eventually a couple of fruit trees and grapes.
Gardening became part of the chores my sisters and I were required to do. At the top of the list was weeding out the garden. Weeds take away nutrients and space away from the produce. They draw the water intended for the vegetables, block the sun if they get too big, and crowd out what you want to grow. It felt as though the weeds pop out overnight. It required vigilance.
The cares of life, burdens, and desires can crowd out what our minds should be set on. These things draw our attention and passion away from the things of God. Even the burdens of life represented by our responsibilities should be brought before the word of God so that we might see them properly and seek God's mercy and help.
Any desire that takes us away from God and the things of God is a thorn attempting to make the grain unfruitful. Be aware of the things that consistently keep you from reading and praying, causing you to miss church and have your mind thinking about everything else rather than the Lord and what He has for your life.
Ask the Holy Spirit to weed out your heart today.
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Wight
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