Daily Worship

Shallow soil

September 11, 2015 0 0

Mark 4:16,17

“And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.

Mark 4:16,17. Shallow soil over rocky ground makes it hard for plants to take root. In the short term it may look promising, in the long term growth is stunted and the plant fails. For people like this there is a sudden blossoming of faith, a spiritual renewal, perhaps even a sudden conversion. The new life of faith fills them with hope, idealism, energy and there is little consideration for long term discipleship. This will be a pattern replicated many times in their lives. There will have been many short term enthusiasm that haven’t lasted matching the saying that ‘what goes up quickly, comes down quickly’. People like this have short attention spans, are easily bored and are always looking for new distractions. People like this may find long term relationships difficult to sustain.  Sometimes as Jesus’ followers, they may end up more alienated from church and Christian faith than they were before their ‘spiritual phase’ and may leave those around them on the journey feeling guilty or let down. 

PRAYER

Lord help me to understand myself and to celebrate in the new enthusiasms that others have in discovering the reality of Jesus’ love.  
Help me to go gently when I know I tend to rush
and to plan to be shaped and guided by you for the rest of my life.
I hold before you with concern in prayer,
those I know of who once promised so much in faith and commitment to you
and who now have left it all behind. 
May they be shown love and understanding and the possibility of a fresh start ,
a new way, that is guided by your Spirit.