Hunger drove my ancestors to America. The years of failed potato crops killed many Irishmen and sent thousands of others across the ocean. They hoped for good soil here, and many found it. Others fell on the bad soil of prejudice and hard times. Some harvested future writers and poets, including me.

I was spiritually hungry, in need, until God planted His seed in the soil of my heart. He opened my eyes to give me understanding. His life took root in my heart and His life blood flows through my branches.

He wants me to produce fruit, and there are things I can do to increase my production. Smart farmers plan their crops according to the soil. If the soil isn’t suited for crops, they prepare it, aerate it, and add nutrients and water in measure.

God told His people, “Break up your unplowed ground” (Hosea 10:12). The painful process of breaking up pieces of my life is necessary for growth of the good seeds He wants to plant in me. I do that by searching my heart, confessing sin, and committing myself wholly to God’s will. The indwelling Holy Spirit fertilizes my ground, so that in time I can grow the fruit of the Spirit. In season, I will produce crops according to the gifts God has placed in me.

God plans for His children to grow, and we can’t ask for a better gardener. Do your part today to break up your soil. Let Him prepare it for the seeds He wants to plant in your life.

Lord of the harvest, may the seed you planted in me multiply to your glory. May you find good soil in my heart, so that around me the crops may multiply. Amen.

Go Deeper — Consider your life. Write down the first 10 things that come to mind. What do they reveal about you? Is there ground you need to break up?



Tags: Grow Matthew 13
Photo Credit: Kenan Kitchen