KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Harvest
A NEW RESIDENT at the drug rehab center where I worked was given the task of planting runner-bean seeds.
With no experience growing vegetables, Jim quickly became bored waiting for the seeds to sprout. After weeks of seeing nothing happen, Jim finally noticed signs of life coming up. Before long, he had to put poles in the ground for the beans to climb. One day Jim ran excitedly into the kitchen with some freshly picked beans for dinner. "Wow! All this from a few tiny seeds!" As I talked with Jim, it became clean that he learned more than how plants grow. He learned a new insight: If we willingly listen to God in His Word and do what is right for the right reasons and for the right length of time, our lives will be fruitful.
THOUGHTS: In Luke 8, Jesus used a parable to teach that the seed of the Word of God will produce a harvest in good soil. But the seed is productive only if the soil is receptive. People with receptive hearts hear God's Word, obey it, and bear fruit. Others, however, have resistant hearts that fall prey to the devil, do not allow the seed to take root, or are overgrown with the cares and temptations of life. God's Word is good seed. Is your heart good soil? (Joanie E Yoder)
KneEmail: "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience"( Luke 8:15).