Luke 8: 4 - 15

Yep. Same reading as yesterday, but different emphasis. Today we look at the seeds that were sown in soil that also had thorns growing in it. v 7 & 14.

Unlike the seeds that fell on the rocky ground, these seeds have developed roots strong enough to grow, but the other plants around them are having a very negative, and even deadly affect on them.

Verses 7 and 14 say that the seeds that grew were choked by the plants with thorns. It’s not hard to imagine how this would happen to the growing seeds. The thorn plants around it block out light and take much of the moisture, stunting the growth of the seed, and causing it to grow in others ways that it shouldn’t.

That is the way that it is with some people that the seed (Word of God) has been planted. They develop good enough roots and start to grow well, but other things around them start to have a negative and possibly deadly affect on them. Things like worry, distractions, cravings for material possessions, love of money etc…

I’m willing to bet that you have encountered a thorn bush sometime in your life. It is not a comfortable experience. In fact it hurts. Like the thorns of a plant, the thorns of the cares of the world are trying to hurt us. But we don’t notice it like we do physical pain. It hurts us on the inside, and in our spiritual body. It is as if these thorns are growing in our heart. And like the thorny plants, they block out the light and steal our nourishment, stunting our spiritual growth, and causing to grow in ways that we shouldn’t. They cloud our minds and decision making process so that we make poor choices and faith doesn’t mature.

Maybe you know someone like this, whose spiritual growth has been affected by worldly things around them. They love Jesus, but are being distracted by the thorns in their heart.

Or maybe that person is you, and you don’t even realize the pain that these thorns are causing you. You love Jesus, but your attention is on the cares of the world all around you.

Pray that God would weed out the thorns of the cares of the world, and bring maturity to yours, and others faith. – Richard M.