Matthew 13:2-9-NIV
"Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
— Matthew 13:2–9 (NIV)
When the Seed Meets the Soil: A Heart Check
Each season brings its own unique challenges and victories. I had a completely different plan for June, but as I sought the Lord in prayer, asking, “God, what do You want me to share?”, the Holy Spirit led me to the Parable of the Sower.
This parable has always been one of the most sobering and grounding teachings in my walk with Christ. I often return to it to keep my heart aligned with Jesus. I’ve taught several lessons on it and heard many others teach it, but this time, the Holy Spirit is leading me to see it through a different lens.
My husband loves to garden, and to be honest, I’m learning to love it too. Gardening doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m growing in it. We planted seeds in the right season, hoping for an abundant harvest.
In the same way, the Word of God is being sown into our lives constantly. But unless we recognize that Satan and his demons are actively working to lead us into eternal separation from God, as warned in Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 20, we will remain blind to the spiritual war we are in. If we fail to discern the enemy’s schemes to deceive the nations and pull hearts away from God’s will, we will live in defeat.
You cannot fight what you don’t recognize.
Unless you know who your enemy is, you’re just swinging at the air, living without direction, unknowingly following lies and temptations that pull you away from God.
I genuinely believe that no one can cry out for salvation or seek true deliverance until they first recognize they are in bondage. And this is where Satan works hardest: convincing people that they’re just fine without God. He is not idle, he is actively deceiving souls into believing they don’t need a foundation rooted in Christ or a compass guided by His truth.
But here’s the truth: our hearts—our soil—are always receiving seeds.
The real question is: What kind of seeds are being sown into your life?
And even more importantly: What are you allowing to grow?
Jesus said,
“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
— Matthew 13:9 (NIV)
This is a call to spiritual awareness. The condition of your heart determines how you respond to the Word of God—and ultimately, what kind of fruit your life will produce.
So, as we begin this month’s reflection series on Matthew 13:2–9, I invite you to journey with me, one soil at a time. Let’s pause, examine, and ask together:
Is my heart prepared to receive what God is planting?
Take some time this week to reflect on that question. Then, let’s till the soil of our hearts together.
