Matt. 13:18-23 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” So, who out there loves to garden? Or…who out there loves to farm? In the last couple of years gardening has become a bit more exciting for me…though I hate weeds and bugs…ha ha ha…but I love the harvest of fresh veggies n fruit! Don’t you?!? Let’s look at how God and gardening have similarities… In the spring we must till the soil, correct? Sometimes it is really hard, crusty, dry-almost rock-like soil correct? That tiller is just a digging and grindin and cutting through all that deeply packed soil to get down into the good, fertile moist soil down deep…right? There is something so beautiful about a freshly tilled garden…it’s so clean and fresh and just ready for those seeds to be planted!! So exciting!! This is what our spiritual journey is like with God…He desires to till up the sin in our lives to dig down deep into our being where He can begin to plant seeds into a fertile soul…but if there is a hardened heart towards Him, just like if you just started dropping seeds into a garden that was not tilled…it would not grow because it’s hard and dried up…and the seeds would not take root…they would just blow away. Tilling is not always very easy…it can be tough work at times…like us in our lives…sin has so hardened us, we build up these tough exteriors to keep God out and keep sin in, and when we do this…we dry up and God’s tilling gets tougher and tougher…Today…won’t you allow God to do some tilling in your life, so that the seeds of His truth can begin to take root and begin to grow and bring about fresh life into your walk with Jesus? I pray you will. “Father God, I know You are the living water and the Giver of Life, and that I need nourishment and life from You, and You alone…help me to hand over the control of the tiller in my life to You, so that You can begin to cut out the sin of selfishness and pride, etc… Lord, that You can begin to fertilize my soul with the Power and Love of Your Holy Spirit, so that I can begin to bear Your fruit. Amen.” May you all begin to find new life this Easter Season!