I remember years ago that I was having a conversation with a person who no longer was part of a church. They said “Christianity didn’t work for me”. I thought that was curious but I really had no answer at the time. Now, many years later- I realize the problem with Christianity isn’t that its been tried and found lacking, its that its seldom actually tried at all. Jesus’ gateway parable illustrated why Christianity doesn’t work in a beautiful way. The gospel message has the power to transform a human soul and connect us to the lifegiving God who made us in a personal relationship. But, that message arrives in people’s lives when they are lacking depth of character (commitment) or the enemy of our soul steals away the simple saving message with confusion, or the cares and temptations of the world pull a person away. Its not the seed of the gospel that doesn’t work, its the ‘soil’ it lands on. May we all quickly become good soil and experience what God intends.
“Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Mark 4:3-7 NASB
What kind of soil am I at this moment? What fruit is there in my life of Christlike character and love?
God, as this day begins- I pray for those who are yet to reach out and put their trust in You. I know Christianity works because You are real. Oh, how You have revealed Yourself with such grace, love and forgiveness in my life. May I reach out and love others in Your name and in some way reflect Your glory for others to see You more clearly.
