The good soil
In Matthew 13:18-23, Jesus teaches about the word of God and how when it is spoken it falls on one of four different types of soil. For years, whenever I read or heard about this parable I always assumed confidently that I was the good soil and moved on. But in time I came to the realization that really, I have yet to see what type of soil I truly am. This thought came after much time, prayer and meditation on one particular soil Jesus mentions, the rocky ground. The one who receives the word with joy but when persecution comes on account of the word, falls away.
Many Americans are feeling tremendous anxiety and fear about the uncertainty of their future. Especially with the presidential election looming in the upcoming weeks. Among this throng of Americans are Christians who are seeing the possibility of religious freedom being attacked and even removed. This fear is fuel that has driven the church to cry out to God to heal this land and save us from losing our ability to worship freely. While God’s people crying out to him is never a bad thing, I can’t help but wonder if our prayers are missing the mark.
The call of the Christian
As we read the scriptures we see over and over again the call of the true Christian life. Jesus teaches us that we will be hated by all for his name sake and that we as his disciples are not above our master. If this world hated and persecuted him then we can certainly expect the same. (Matt. 10:22-24) In his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul issues warnings and expectations that the Christian is destined for persecution. (1 Thess. 3:3-4) He confidently states that all who desire to live a life fully devoted to God’s will be persecuted. (2 Tim. 3:12) And that it is not only a privilege granted to us to simply believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. (Phil. 1:29) Jesus says all of these warnings are given to us ahead of time to keep us from falling away. (John 16:1-4)
Good but not God
Freedom is an amazing gift given to us from God, but freedom is not our God. It is not freedom that we serve. We were never promised freedom in this life. Therefore we must not stake our lives on it, gripping it with white knuckles as though it is the very foundation of our faith and love for Christ. We have been chosen by God to live in a time such as this. Churches all across this nation talk about the end of the world, but how many are not yet ready to let it go. We very well may be the chosen ones to enter into the most difficult period of time the world has ever seen. A time of unprecedented suffering and persecution for the name of Christ like never before. But isn’t that the very thing we long for? Don’t we sing for the end of all things and to see God finally bring everything to completion? To see him build the new heavens and the new earth?
We must never stop crying out to God to bring this nation to repentance. We must always thank him for the freedom he give us. But along with those prayers we must also cry out that God would equip us and empower us to face the uncertainty of our future. To boldly live and proclaim Christ whether we are free or slave. Let us not fear those who can only hurt the body and not the soul. God is still on his throne. He has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and self-control. So no matter what the future holds, may we be found to be truly good soil.