Mark 4:1-20. The parable of the Seed and Soils; 2 Samuel 7. God blesses and warns Solomon

There is no soil that is totally one type or another. Totally hard, totally rocky, totally thorny and lost, or totally good and loamy either. The good-earth people do a disservice to others and run the risk of losing their fruitfulness by thinking otherwise. Like Solomon in the first reading for today. No one started more blessed and wise than he. But he failed to tend his garden, to stir up the earth, pluck the rocks, pull the weeds. And so he died and was buried among the thorns.

The thorns have grown up in my life too. I am constantly finding dandelion seeds sprouting in my heart and creeping Charlie spreading to choke out the grass. And, of course, there are rocks to pick and stones to pile up (not to throw) as memorials of the grace of God who has churned up my heart and planted his seed here and continues so graciously to tend me and not just bulldozer me over and plant a parking lot over my soul.

So I guess it should be no surprise when I find sin sprouting over and over again in my life. Over and over again I have to bend down, get on my knees, and pull out the failure and guilt and temptation, lift it up and pile it up at the foot of the Master Gardener’s cross. And pray. No wonder: we were gardeners before we were ever anything else.

Lord, forgive me. Lord, renew me. Lord, plant your love and grace here again. To you I offer the fruit and the flowers that your love has tenderly planted and nourished; and yes, there is that too in my life growing by your grace even in the midst of the rocks and the thorns. But it doesn’t grow all by itself, Tim, without any work. Don’t be surprised and don’t give up. Just get out the hoe.