Good Dirt

Dirt has been on my mind.
Soil to be exact.

It started with me praying for my grandchildren's hearts and minds to grasp, not only their need for a Savior, but all that Savior has done for them. 

I had just read and meditated on a passage of Scripture found in the Second chapter of Colossians. 

"And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the Cross.  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him."

As I read of all that Jesus (that's the He the passage is referring to!) did for me, it caused my heart to rejoice afresh.

The writer, Paul, had a thing about run-on sentences, but that is fine because, in this case it seemed to emphasis what Jesus did.
Remember action verbs?  Well, these verses are full of them. 

I picture Paul heaping one after another on the pile in a most breathless way.
Jesus
made us alive
     and has forgiven us all our sins
         and canceled the debt
            and taken all the hostility out of the way
                and disarmed all spiritual enemies
                    and made a public display
                         and TA DA! TRIUMPHED!!!

The most recent email I received from a dear man that I know and love was written in just the same style.

The difference was that he listed a pile of things that were overwhelming him right now; things he had to handle.
While Paul wrote with great excitement, eager to share and remind us of all we have in Jesus.

If we do not focus on Jesus and all He offers us, then all the stuff of life will pile up until we are suffocated.
The pile of all that Jesus offers does not get heaped on us, no, it becomes a solid foundation that lifts us above all the stuff!

That is what I long for in my grandchildren's lives.
Actually, every one's life!

So where does soil come in?

As I prayed for them I prayed that their hearts would be tender to the Truth of God.
Referring to the Parable of the Sower and the Soils, I prayed that their hearts would become good soil that could and would receive the seed of Truth.

Papa reminded me that it is not a one time thing.
He, the Master Gardener tends the soil of our hearts continually.

The Parable speaks of four types of soil.            
      Soil that is too hard to receive any seed.
         Soil that is very rocky.
            Soil covered with thorns.
               And good soil.

For soil to be good it must be tilled and watered.

All kinds of instruments can be used to turn over the soil.

Especially if the soil is your heart.

Papa is able to use everything and anything so that our hearts will be receptive to all He desires to plant.

Each experience, every word, can be turned into something that will bear fruit in His Hands.

When our hearts are made of good soil, then all that Jesus has done for us and all that He offers us becomes more real to us. 

Removal of rocks will hurt.
Clearing out the thorns will leave scars.
Even the water we so desperately need might seem frightening as it envelopes us.
Ah, but the fruit that it produces will be so sweet!

I'll let Hebrews Twelve, verse Eleven close these thoughts....

"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."