Today’s devotion is Mark 4:13-20 which contains Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower and the Soils (a/k/a Seed) . The key verse upon which we will focus for today’s devotion is verse 20.
“20 “And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:20 (Emphasis added.)
Much has been said and written about this parable. This parable is contained in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke. It would be interesting for me to one day compare in the future (“God willing”) my three devotions after I read this parable in each book and write my meditations.
Today, I feel lead to focus on the foregoing verse and highlighted phrase “and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit“, because I think it is important that we read through the whole Bible (not just selected passages) and that we meditate on what we read.
“2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3.
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3.
So, how do we meditate on God’s Word? There are certainly different ways. One way is my example of writing down my meditations and sending it to family and friends. It forces me to consider what is most important about each text, reach conclusions, “perfect” the meditations, and “accept it” by applying it to my overall beliefs and life. Someone could read my devotion and later challenge me: “Bill, didn’t you write …?”.
As I check my “Gold Mining” Tag on top of the Home Page of my Reformed Doctrine Blog located at Click here: Reformed Doctrine Blog , I started doing this around 1992. I started by writing on paper an actual letter and mailing it to only my best friend, Harry Sieplinga, about my struggles in life and my attempts to discover and apply Scripture to my life during that time. These letters were known as “Letters to Harry”. Around October 1997, I selected the 52 best letters and bound them in a “book” with a new title “Gold Mining”, and I gave copies of the book to a small group of family and friends. Around April 2008, I started my Reformed Doctrine blog to put these 52 letters and other new “daily” devotions on the internet for the general public.
As you know, I am a layman. I have an “About Me” tag on top of the Home Page which states the following: “Although I do my best to present true teachings, these are my teachings (by a layman) unless otherwise attributed. Moreover, these teachings are not necessarily the teachings of the Protestant Reformed Churches, the Presbyterian Churches of America, the Christian Reformed Churches, or any other denomination. The reader is advised to follow the example set forth in Acts 17:11: “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Thank you.”
In conclusion, I do not intend to pretend that my way is the only way to so meditate on God’s Word. But, we are called to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds”.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25.
I hope to encourage you, clergy and laymen, to consider how you and others can better “hear the word and accept it and bear fruit”.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 