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Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7

Do I love who Jesus loves?  In this parable, the one of great value is the one who has strayed the farthest from home, the odd one of the hundred, the one no one is looking for.  Quickly forgotten, he is left to question his own value as, over time, he realizes that no one is pursuing him.  What an awful discovery as he looks over his shoulder and dreams of unconditional love calling his name from behind.  How devastating to realize that the ninety-nine are happy without him. When he has depleted all his resources and realizes he is lost, how will he find his way back? 

Jesus’ heart is for the one so far from the fold.  The Holy Spirit longs to pursue, leaving breadcrumbs as calling cards, wooing the wanderer back onto the pathway that leads to the open arms of the Father.  But He needs people who will carry out this mission of mercy.  

It is easy for us to value those who seem Christian. They look respectable. The ones farthest from Christ can turn us off. Tattoos, piercings, Gothic-style clothing, a past that makes us blush, a language that downright intimidates—these can send us elsewhere to do ministry.

God sent Jesus to ‘seek and to save’ those who are lost.  They need arms to carry them home.  They need to discover that they have been missed.  If I don’t go looking, they will assume that God is no more interested than I am.  I’ve taught them how to perceive God.

Who has wandered from the fold that has all but been forgotten? Is anyone searching for them? Could it be you? Might it be me? 

Make me one in your compassionate search party.  We are Your body – carrying out Your mission of love.  Amen

And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”  Matt. 13:52

In high school, my toughest subject was science. I thought I just wasn’t wired to understand it, but looking back, the teacher was checked out. He didn’t show that he cared about science at all. He was dispassionate. As an adult, I discovered that I enjoy exploring the science of things. I’m a curious person who loves to learn, and I can’t stand not knowing how to do something.  

Every great teacher brings what matters to life. Jesus did this by telling parables. He took ancient truths about the kingdom of God and revived them by re-framing them into stories. Through these, He provided people with history and context. And there was never a more passionate teacher than He was when defending those truths with His life.     

In this specific parable, Jesus emphasized the role of scribes in the kingdom of heaven. Scribes—who served as teachers and interpreters of the law—were likened to the heads of a household who manage and care for their valued possessions. Scribes trained and equipped with spiritual knowledge share a similar responsibility and privilege, drawing from both the old and the new. 

The “old” refers to the traditions, teachings, and wisdom of the past, while the “new” represents the fresh revelations that arise from understanding God’s kingdom in today’s context. Jesus wants us to know that heritage is important, but so is contextualization.  It’s up to teachers to help us process both of these, and the weight of this holy calling is borne by the one who conceived it ~ the Holy Spirit of God.

You’ve called me to teach.  Help me learn more but also empower me to share wisdom that resonates with our times. Amen

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.  Matthew 13:44-46

Have you ever found something you really wanted in a store, but you weren’t ready to buy it yet, so you hid it and came back for it later? A hidden treasure is the subject of this parable. Unfortunately, the person who discovered it doesn’t have enough money to buy it yet, so he buries it to make sure no one else finds it before he can afford to buy it. He sells everything he has to make it his own.  

There is no greater picture in the scriptures of what it means to embrace Jesus as my treasure. Committing my life to Him isn’t just an intellectual choice; it is a radical decision driven by my heart. I am willing to say goodbye to my old life altogether. My autonomy, my possessions, my dreams, my rights, my beliefs, my relationships—these are the currencies I’m willing to spend to make Him mine. When Jesus is the treasure—there is no price too steep. 

Like Job, my heart turns over at the thought that Jesus is really mine. If the Almighty is your treasure and your precious silver, then you will find joy in the Almighty. Job 22:25-26 His value only increases with every revelation. 

It’s been 63 years, Jesus, since I committed my life to You—kneeling by my bed in a mountain cabin. I used to think salvation was the gift, but I was wrong. It’s YOU. I love You. Amen

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold.Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment. But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.  “When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins. He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’ “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt. “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.  Matthew 18:23-34

A STORY

One day, God permits me to stand on the edge of heaven. I see the breathtaking landscapes, but above all, I see the LORD in all His radiant glory. I cannot look at Him because I am unclean in His presence. I cry out above the volume of the angelic worshipers.  

“Lord, my sin!  I want to be with You but I am a condemned woman and have no access to Your kingdom.” 

“What if I forgave everything you’ve ever done against me?” He asked.

“Would You really wipe away every single offense?” The thought is too outrageous. Seeing the great chasm between us, I feel hopeless that such forgiveness exists. 

I ask again in desperation. “If Your love really is that great, please forgive me. I repent of all that I’ve done to sin against You.”

Jesus approaches and whispers softly, “I forgive You and declare You holy, Christine. One day soon, You will come and live with me here. It’s a sure thing.” Overcome by His grace, I return to my life with new hope.

However, some time passes, and a trusted friend sells me out without a moment’s hesitation. The hurt feels jarring ~ it’s deeply personal, plunging me into a painful abyss of sorrow and righteous outrage. The act of treachery feels incomprehensible, and no matter how hard I try to understand why such evil was done against me, I find no answers. I hear the Lord whisper in my ear, “Forgive them, as I forgave you. Reflect on the enormity of your previous offenses against Me and how much I loved you then, and love you now!”

Yet, I struggle to recall my past transgressions with clarity. My fury towards the traitor clouds my perspective, and I yearn for quick retribution. I say to myself, “I will cut him off, strike back with choice words, making him regret his actions until he is sorry enough.” 

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The severity of someone else’s sin against me is insignificant in comparison to the judgment I would have encountered for my own transgressions against God. The secret to forgiving freely, just as Jesus forgave me, lies in remembering His extravagant mercy. Jesus said it this way, “He who has been forgiven little loves little. But he who has been forgiven much, loves much.” 

Oh Savior, show me once again where I would be without Your atonement. Amen.

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit. Matthew 13:8,23

Powerful seeds originate from the hand of God. They land in perfect soil ~ fertile, aerated, and treated. The moment they touch the dirt, germination begins, and with that first moment, the promise of something extraordinary comes to life.

Can you envision it? Don’t you desire it? I sure do. I want pristine conditions for these spiritual seeds. How incredible is it that heaven’s seeds can come and grow inside of me! God is generous to share them without requiring me to go to heaven first. “The kingdom is here, now,” Jesus said.

What makes my heart the perfect place to grow heaven’s seeds? I am perpetually open—ready to listen, eager to learn, and infinitely hungry for growth. I am prepared to set aside my defenses, embrace the possibility of being wrong, and accept the need for change. When these seeds land in my soil, no demonic forces can pluck them away. No unresolved issues will hinder their growth. There are no weeds in sight to suffocate the potential of this new planting. Exceptional results are guaranteed.

Today, I move toward this goal by inviting my personal Gardener to assess my spiritual soil. He searches me and knows what it will take to improve my soil conditions. He never passes judgment to declare me hopeless if I’m asking for His help. He gives specific spiritual guidance. He reveals every rock and why it’s there. He clears the noise of my worries when they threaten to take me down. His desire for my abundant harvest surpasses even my own.

I’m a picture person. Right now, I see Him slowly walking the pathways of my heart. He’s tilling and inspecting the soil, smiling at the possibilities.

Your seeds are empowered by resurrection ~ the same power that brought you back to life, Jesus. Help me not to hinder Your work by being resistant to growth. Speak to my spirit and do not relent. Amen 

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:7, 22

Worry overpowers the clarity of God’s voice. Historically, I come from a line of chronic worriers. My grandmother fidgeted with her hands anytime she sat down to rest. I’ve been taught, by example, to obsess over fears, to turn them around in my hands in every possible configuration until I find a solution. Weighed down by the impossibilities, I work myself up into a panic. How can I still hear God’s voice? I have too many cares and struggle to concentrate.

As someone who used to live with panic attacks, I can give this advice. Tackle the weeds when they are still small! When anxious thoughts occur, grab them and kill them with the promises of God. The apostle Paul called it ‘taking every thought captive.’ I remember that fear is Satan’s primary weapon.

Weeds of anxiety, fed over time, become strongholds. I develop a mindset of anxiety where, by default, my first response to any bad news is fear. I feed the beast without even making a conscious choice. Is the Word powerful enough to rewire the way my brain works? Oh, yes. Can it demolish a toxic mindset and replace it with a new one? Absolutely.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

The word for arguments is ‘logismos’ or logic. It’s the way a person learns to think and process. Paul wanted believers to be assured that the Word of God is a powerful weapon that demolishes hopeless, fearful, and cynical mindsets.

As we reflect on who we were twenty years ago, may we be able to say, “By the glory of God, my mindset has transformed. I no longer resonate with the thoughts of my past; they are foreign to me now. Neither the pursuits of pleasure nor the burdens of worry should overshadow the breathtaking landscape of our spiritual growth.

Give me the grace to let go of the fears that hold me prisoner, the courage to face the unknown, and the faith to believe in Your goodness. Amen

Some 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. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21

Several years ago, a good friend of ours embarked on his first journey to the Holy Land. Upon his return, one of the earliest stories he shared was about the difficulty he encountered while walking in the desert. He said, “It’s tough to focus on anything other than the rocky ground. If you take your eyes off your feet, you’re bound to trip.” But this is not the kind of rocky terrain Jesus refers to in this parable.

In Judea, just below the surface where the plow breaks the ground, layers of limestone disrupt the potential for a thriving crop. Seeds can be sown into the warm soil and begin to germinate, but once their roots hit the rocky layer, they’re unable to penetrate any deeper. All the energy of the plant is forced upward. Initially, everything appears promising as the plant grows rapidly. The farmer might believe it’s the most fruitful harvest he has ever seen, yet the shallow soil yields a frail plant. After making a strong first impression, the plant ultimately withers away.

If I have a limestone foundation, spiritually, then I have a positive emotional reaction to spiritual things. I hear the message and feel enthusiastic, but ultimately, it remains an abstract idea. My roots fail to dig deep due to inadequate foundations, such as:

   • Major issues I prefer to overlook that stifle the Word.

• Blind spots I was unwilling to see, making the message difficult to accept.

• Stumbling blocks toward God that arose under pain and suffering. Past pain unearthed some bad theology about God’s character, leading me to cling to falsehoods.

What is the cure? Allow God to expose spiritual limestone. Through prayer, study, and meditation, God shines His light on what has been firmly embedded over time in my soul. Oftentimes, I don’t even know what’s down there, but God does. Though He brings conviction, grace follows closely. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Psalm 85:10

My innermost being is completely known by You, Lord.  I invite You to enter, reveal, and then cultivate a soil bed free from rocks of offense.  Amen

A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate it. Whenever people hear the word about the kingdom and don’t understand it, the evil one comes and carries off what was planted in their hearts. This is the seed that was sown on the path.  Matthew 13: 3-4, 19 

Christ, the Sower, scatters heaven’s seeds in men’s hearts through the words of scripture.  The seeds are powerful and highly reproductive.  If they are planted in the right kind of soil, they will bear fruit.  But their fruitfulness depends on the kind of soil the seeds encounter.

When someone traveled through the countryside in Jesus’ time, they maneuvered through fields of crops. To prevent damage to their harvests, farmers created footpaths along the border of each field. Consider what happened when many feet traveled those paths. They became well-worn, hardened, almost like concrete. When a farmer, carrying a bag of seeds at planting time, scattered them in the air, some would inadvertently land onto these hardened footpaths. The likelihood of those seeds taking root, let alone germinating, was extremely low.

Jesus wants us to comprehend the state of human hearts. Unbelievers often possess hardened hearts, where the Gospel’s seeds bounce off, unable to penetrate due to spiritual blindness. Yet even among believers, hard hearts can exist. The Word skims the surface of many hearts without taking root because there is a heart of stone.  The Word arrives but feels too threatening to embrace. 

What can soften hardened soil? God seeks to transform my heart of stone into one of flesh—one that feels deeply, beats passionately, grieves sincerely, and celebrates joyfully. As stated in Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not my Word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” If I suffer from a hard heart, two things will soften it.  The Word of God and my willingness to allow God to dismantle the walls that I have built over time.  God’s approach is gentle and gradual. He leads me step by step, understanding the reasons I protect myself. 

He will construct a beautiful bridge of trust, using just the right words to inspire the courage I need to let Him in. Recognizing that I have a hard heart is the crucial beginning.  Choosing to trust Him is my next action step.

Lord, I can know so much scripture and yet be so unaffected by it.  I bring my calcified heart to You.  Gentle Healer, come and find me. Amen

A farmer went out to sow his seed. Matthew 13:3

For many years, this parable has resonated with me deeply, particularly the concept of different soil types. I’ve become almost fixated on the fourth type and I find myself yearning for its fertile conditions. We’re going to take a week to look this parable. It’s too rich to rush through it.

Jesus shared this parable with a gathering in Judea. As He spoke, they sat on a hillside, likely observing farmers sowing seeds, surrounded by the lush fields that embrace the Sea of Galilee. Jesus masterfully crafted His message by weaving it into relatable experiences. While they watched the seeds being scattered, He would reference their surroundings before drawing parallels to kingdom life.

Because of my life’s story, I am often skeptical of Jesus’ words. I stumble over His unconventional methods. It’s as if the seed falls onto unyielding soil. What must happen for poor soil to be transformed into a pristine growing environment? That’s the stuff of what’s coming in the next few devotionals.

I close my eyes and envision what happens when God’s Word falls in nutrient-rich, aerated soil. I see it unfold in slow motion. As the seed touches the ground, life surges within, and then the process of growth begins. Seeds burst forth, and the moist conditions nurture their beginnings. In time, I envision myself becoming the tree in Psalm 1 – spiritually vibrant, branches cascading over the riverbank. My roots are anchored deeply in Christ, making it second nature for me to bear fruit rather than laboring for it. Bad storms will come and go, they will bend my branches, but no matter the ferocity of the wind, the tree will stand tall. What God plants, nothing can destroy. 

You are my Gardener, my Husbandman. Assess the soil of my heart. Amen