March 28 & 29, 2011 Cultivating a Good Heart

I've been fascinated by the images of water in the Promised Land, and it's got me thinking a whole new way about it.  For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year."  Deuteronomy 11: 10-12

Now, take this thought and put it together with the Parable of the Sower, from the NT reading yesterday.  This is when Jesus explained it to the disciples, the seed being the Word of God:  "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." Luke 8: 11-15

Have you ever wondered how we come to have the Word of God grow in our heart to begin with?  Were some of us born with a "good heart" that could grow the Word?  Were all of us born with a hardened heart, like the roadway that was packed down hard and trampled on by feet all the time, unable to even receive a seed, much less sustain the growth of one?  I think that mankind in general is in the second category, and it takes a lot of work to get the ground tilled and prepared to receive the Word at all.  God is the Farmer, or the "Husbandman", who works on people's hearts in many ways.  I was able to be a co-worker with Him in the counseling room, where much of the time was spent digging up hard ground, dredging up rocks and other debris, and in planting the truth.  Some of the time I was allowed to help reap a harvest, but this was due to the work of others who had planted and watered.  It is always God who brings the increase. (I Cor. 3: 6-7)

I also think that some of us are blessed to have parents and other people who set to work preparing our hearts when we are very young children.  A godly parent is diligent to work with God to bring their child's heart to a place of receiving the Word;  and they are diligent to help the child maintain that garden until the Word begins to bear fruit.  I believe there is a generation of children being brought into the world now that have had their hearts prepared even from the womb - who will have the "noble and good heart" from the start.  Throughout the Bible, you can see examples of this type of person.  Think of a large number of Samuels and Marys coming into maturity at a time such as this!  It is all of our responsibility in the Church to help guard and nurture these little ones.

Imagine now, what happens when one who has had their heart prepared, a "noble and good heart" - the good ground - coming into the amazing Land of Promise where the rain of heaven waters it and God's eyes are always on it.  Revelation raining down, flowing in streams, watering the Word that's been planted.  This is a land of heavenly revelation and abundant spiritual fruitfulness like we've never experienced before!  This is the land of Life!  Can you see why here we must be all the more watchful and diligent to guard our hearts from deception and the idols of the world?  Anything and everything will grow with extreme rapidity and abundant fruitfulness.  We must beware of what we allow to be planted in the good ground in the land of Life, and stay on the alert.  We must guard our hearts with utmost diligence.