And
another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it
yielded no fruit.
(Mark 4:7)
Jesus says the cares of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things entering
in choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. (vs 10)
Now I’m not absolutely
sure but this looks a lot to me like a strong argument for a simple life. Just
what that means in each individual is a personal thing between you and God.
Someone has said, “Does it have a place in your heart?”
Just recently we were
going through some things trying to make some room and we came across a 35mm
camera that belonged to my Dad. I thought, I don’t use this and my nephew has
expressed an interest in it. When I told Jeannie I thought I would give it to
Tim, she said, “Are you ready to let go of it?”
We hold on to many things,
ideas and dreams or hopes in our hearts, that have nothing to do with the
Kingdom of God. Some of these things choke the Word of God and keep it from
bearing fruit in our lives. We surely need wisdom and grace to know and do
God’s will in these matters. There is a ditch on both sides of this road. One
is the ditch of becoming overly sensitive to appearances and give up more that
God would desire, simply to look pious. And the other ditch is to not go as far
in self-sacrifice as needed to become productive for the kingdom of God. Either
way we must have God’s wisdom and grace.
Heavenly Father Thank you
so much for showing me this danger. Help me to open my heart to receive your
wisdom and grace to become productive in your kingdom. Show me what you would
have me let go, and give me grace to do that with a thankful heart. For the
glory of Jesus always, Amen.
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