Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
October 14, 2021
Read Luke 8:4-15
4 When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable: 5 “A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it. 6 Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them. 8 Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered.” As he said this, he called out, “Everyone who has ears should pay attention.” 9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can’t see, and when they hear, they can’t understand. 11 “The parable means this: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved. 13 The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures. 15 The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.
Good Morning! Commit yourselves to God!
On this foggy morning, I think about how Jesus spoke in parables to those who came and listened. When we gaze through the fog, our view is blurred, and nothing appears clearly. If we venture out in the fog, our path is uncertain and it is easy to lose our way. We don’t see obstacles in our path until they have caused us a problem. The further we travel in the fog the more we question our surroundings. Sometimes it gets so bad that we have to pull off the road and turn on our emergency flashers until the fog begins to lift.
During our lives, we must nurture ourselves to be the good soil by reading God’s word, praying, and loving God and loving our neighbors. When we care for the seeds planted within us, we will develop a daily relationship with God. No matter what struggles we face, God will always be with us to lead us through the foggy days of our lives.
We are all sinners: None of us is perfect. Even when we are deceived by sin hidden by our blurred vision during the fog and we wander off our path, all we have to do is call out to God and listen. For each obstacle we encounter, we will endure through the strength that comes from above. In our most desparate times when we feel defeated, we can turn on our emergency flashers and cry out, O God, save me. The fog will lift and we will see clearly as we find our way back to our path. Amen!
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. Help us as we endure foggy days during our journey. We become frightened and lose our way. Thank you for showing us the way even when we are lost. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: As I draw nearer to God, my burdens become lighter.
Move towards the light! Pastor Liz
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