Embracing Hearts

Leon FontaineDevoted

But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams. Mark 4:20 (MSG)

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus explained the four types of heart attitudes people can have. People with the first three types of hearts, as we discussed over the past few days, cannot benefit from God’s Word the way He intended. As long as they are focused on other things—toying with wrong behaviour, avoiding difficult situations, worrying about life or going after money and stuff—they aren’t able to receive.

The fourth kind of attitude is different. It involves hearing God’s Word, but also embracing it. When you embrace someone, you draw them into you. We will always need to draw God’s Word into us like we draw air into our lungs. There will never come a day when we have breathed enough air to last us for the rest of our lives. We need God’s Word every day, like we need air.

When you study God’s Word and are hungry to receive from it, you approach it differently. You agree with what it says mentally at first, but as you meditate on it, the truth it contains gets into your heart. This is when it becomes powerful. You can see why Jesus said that understanding this parable and learning how to embrace God’s Word is the key to understanding everything He wants to teach you.

God’s Word in your heart grows to produce an incredible harvest of His promises in your life. What is your heart attitude like right now? What are you focused on? Get excited about embracing what God’s Word has to offer you. Whenever you read or hear it, really take in what God is saying to you and expect great things.