Words from the Rock
Some [seed] fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Matthew 13:5–6 NIV
Now Jesus is talking about another kind of farming challenge. This particular seed (still representing Jesus’s Good News) fell onto rocky places—ground that hasn’t been plowed, cultivated, or prepared for agriculture. It’s probably rough, uneven, full of stones, and basically not the kind of soil to grow much of anything (besides tumbleweed, which can be here one day and gone the next).
This rocky ground represents those with a willingness to hear the Good News. They might even experience a positive reaction to it—initially—but that’s about all. They haven’t reached the place in life where they want to take God’s words and promises seriously, so they adopt a kind of fair-weather faith. Maybe they say, “Yeah, I know Jesus is real and he cares about me, and that’s cool,” but they don’t grasp the hugeness of a relationship with God. For them, faith is more like a fad—when temptations or tough times come, they let their faith slip away like last year’s fashion trends.
These people are similar to a plant that grows up without a strong root system. Their seed gets wedged between a rock and a hard place with little real soil—following a gentle spring rain, the plant pops up and might even seem healthy for a while. But then a few hot, sunny days come along, and because the plant doesn’t have real roots, it simply dries up and blows away, kind of like tumbleweed. Those people who make a showy commitment to Christ but don’t really take it seriously can spiritually dry up and blow away too.
Jesus wants us to have healthy and established roots that go deeply into him to strengthen our faith. Then we can grow and flourish even during drought times.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Please help me to establish strong roots in you so I can withstand whatever storms or droughts life throws my way.
Amen.
Final Word
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
Matthew 13:20–21 NIV
Stone for the Journey
I will root myself deeply into God.