Insightful Musings on theScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, dear ones.
Oops!—I just remember that I forgot to put the garbage by the road for collection. At least I remembered to pick up Nicholas just before 6:15am this morning.
This is kind of a long one. At least it’s original to this morning.
May your day roll along just fine. As you go, try singing the first verse of “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”
Love, Dad/Ray.
There are a lot of words out there. Most of them are the words of men. Therefore, most of them we don’t even need. But Jesus made it clear that we do need the words of God in the same way that a living body needs food. Physical life does not last long without food. Nor does psycho-spiritual life. Thus, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
Bear in mind that this “Parable of the Sower” was given by Jesus. In other words, it is a word story given by God—a “word of God.” It is not the product of my imagination—or of anyone else. If this is so, then it has to bear certain vitamins and minerals (truths and principles) essential to our psycho-spiritual health. In fact, I think it is safe to regard this disclosure as a description of “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1-2). I’m reminded that Jesus promised in John 8:31-32 that this kind of consumption of the Word would yield the healthy benefits of truth and freedom from sin. “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching (WORD), you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
During this morning’s reading of this parable, my attention was captivated by the four influences that affect either the death or growth of the seed in the four types of ground. The first three affecting non-productive soil function like antagonists—satan, testing, and unimportant cares. The productive soil, however, is blessed by an Assistant—which can only be the Holy Spirit.
Another idea causes me to ponder this question: How specific does the phrase “WORD OF GOD” need to be? Is it to be applied only to the book we now call the Bible? I think not. I judge that it includes the general revelation of God as displayed in His creation—as described by David in Psalm 19.
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world”
(Psalm 19:1-4).
How people respond to this universal unavoidable seed-thought is critical. Finally, let me suggest that the best equivalent I can come up with to describe the essential conditions of the fourth kind of soil that produces good fruit in Jesus’ parable is, in fact, a HEART AFTER GOD.