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Christian Fellowship Church

3 days ago

“A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, some fell in the gravel, some fell in the weeds, and some fell on good earth.” Matthew 13:3-8

Dirt. It all boils down to dirt.

Florida Georgia Line describes it well:
“You get your hands in it, plant your roots in it
Dusty head lights dance with your boots in it …
You bet your life on it
Makes you wanna build a ten percent down, white picket fence house on this dirt.”

My husband and I are moving this week. We’re leaving behind the house we built almost 15 years ago to raise our kids in. When we decided to build that house, we spent many hours driving around town, checking out different subdivisions and lots. The decision was significant. Where did we want to put down roots? Where did we want our sons to grow up? How close did we want our neighbors? We knew the decision would affect our quality of life for a good long time to come.

We knew it when we found it. As we drove down a long cul-de-sac and started around the corner at the bottom of the hill, our hearts began to beat faster. The lot was secluded, yet close to others. The backyard was flat with lots of opportunities for football, soccer, and Frisbee. The front yard featured a common area where the neighbor kids could play. It was perfect.

Dirt. It all boils down to dirt.

The clay, the soil on that lot was foundational to the building of our house. It was critical to the fulfillment of our dreams and hopes, not just for the structure itself, but for the life we would lead in it.

The same is true with our hearts.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the story of the farmer to shed light on the condition of our inner life. Our hearts are like dirt. They are foundational to our flourishing. What kind of soil have you given God to work with? Are the seeds he is trying to sow in your life falling on gravel or among weeds? Or have they landed in good soil – a tender heart that’s open to his work?

As the parable illustrates, a soft heart will produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams. What is the condition of your heart?

Written by: Beth Bramstedt ...

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