Tag Archives: Thrive

Different Phases of Life

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One of Jesus’ parables spoke of seed that fell on four different types of soil. Hard, rocky, thorny, and good soil. The seed represented the word of God.

The hard soil represented those who heard the word of God, but had it snatched away by Satan.

The rocky soil was those who heard, received the word with joy, but fell away as soon as things got tough.

The thorny soil was those who heard but allowed the things of life to crowd out God’s message.

The good soil was those who heard the Good News of Jesus, and produced an abundant crop for the Lord.

Like me, you may be familiar with this parable. Recently, however, I read a devotion that added a new dimension to how I viewed this teaching. Let me explain.

The writer of the Life Application Daily Devotion suggested possibly the four types of soil could be different times or phases in a person’s life. Or how we willingly receive God’s message into some areas of our lives, but resist applying it to all areas.

Maybe there are hard areas where Satan knows he can win victories, even though the rest of our lives show we belong to God.

Maybe there are rocky areas where our roots have dug down deep in the knowledge of scripture, but shallow in applying it in our lives.

Maybe there are thorny areas where we elevate and pursue things that pull us from complete devotion to serving Jesus.

Something for us to examine and consider, wouldn’t you agree?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

Then he continued, “Do you really not understand this parable? Then how are you going to understand all the other parables? The man who sows, sows the message. As for those who are by the roadside where the message is sown, as soon as they hear it Satan comes at once and takes away what has been sown in their minds. Similarly, the seed sown among the rocks represents those who hear the message without hesitation and accept it joyfully. But they have no real roots and do not last—when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they give up their faith at once. Then there are the seeds which were sown among thorn-bushes. These are the people who hear the message, but the worries of this world and the false glamour of riches and all sorts of other ambitions creep in and choke the life out of what they have heard, and it produces no crop in their lives. As for the seed sown on good soil, this means the men who hear the message and accept it and do produce a crop—thirty, sixty, even a hundred times as much as they received.” Mark 4:13-20 (Phillips)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Deep Roots Support Our Limbs

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By Sandy Kirby Quandt

I’ve just finished reading Casting Crowns’ lead singer, Mark Hall’s book, Thrive. Great book!

In his book, Mark talks about an enormous oak tree in Alabama. He explains that the invisible roots that support everything going on above ground are as massive as the visible limbs that we are able to see.

He compares the tree to us.

We need deep roots to support our limbs. We need to dig deep into the Bible to learn how we should live, but we need to move from merely studying. We need to reach out our limbs to help others, and apply the knowledge we gain by allowing God to use us.

Mark says we were made to thrive, not just survive. He writes that the only way to thrive is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

To do that, we have to study who the Bible says God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are, and who we are in relation to them.

It is our personal relationship with Jesus that defines us. Not our parents’ relationship. Not our siblings’ relationship. Nor our neighbors’ relationship. But OUR relationship.

In writing this book, Mark’s goal is for us to realize a relationship with Christ doesn’t happen just because we sit in a church. Or because our family did. We have to make the commitment to continue to grow in our own personal relationship. That’s the roots.

Strong roots support the tree during life’s storms.

When I was a pre-schooler living in Norfolk, Virginia, a hurricane uprooted a huge Weeping Willow tree in our back yard and sent it crashing through the back porch, and through part of my bedroom. That tree looked healthy on the outside, but  underneath, it’s roots were shallow.

We can look like we’re living the life God wants us to live with all the busy-ness of “good works” we’re involved in, but if we haven’t dug our roots deep into the Bible, we’re apt to topple over when the storms hit. Just like that Weeping Willow in my backyard.

On the other hand, we can spend all our time studying, studying, studying, digging those deep roots, and never reach out and apply what we’re learning to help others.

That’s what a friend of mine calls a stinky sponge. You know, the sponge that has soaked up the water and is left to sit on the counter without being used.

If the water is never squeezed out, that sponge is going to stink.

Let’s not be a stinky sponge. Let’s dig our roots deep into the Word of God, and then squeeze it out through our limbs of outreach to others.

Leave your comments below to share your thoughts on the subject. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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