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Today's Devotional

Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path—Matthew 13:18,19 (ESV).

In the parable of the sower, our Lord strikingly presents the method and results of the ministry of truth in his divine kingdom. The seed is sown broadcast. The field, with its diversified conditions of soil, represents human hearts. Some hearts are hard, like the beaten track which can yield no fruit. They are not receptive of the truth. In their case, the seed simply lies on the surface. Dew, rain, and sun are of no use to it. Moreover, it is not allowed to remain. “The birds came and devoured it.” In other words, “Satan comes and snatches away that which has been sown in the heart.” Want of interest, inattention, and speedy forgetfulness characterize a large mass of the hearers of the gospel, hence the disastrous failure that is here depicted.

But even the hardened wayside was once soft loam. Hearts that were once tender and susceptible of good impressions become gradually hardened. Wasted opportunities, the riotous revel of sins, the action of worldly pleasures, the tramp of business, all or any of these may render the heart impervious to the truth, and consequently unfruitful.

Souls, however, are not helpless and irresponsible. The wayside may be converted into fertile soil. God can change the hardened heart into “an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15), which shall yield precious and abundant fruit.

Happy are those who seek and obtain this grace that they may believe and be saved.

About the author and the source

Thomas Davies was from College Haverfordwest in Wales.