It was Saturday morning, August 9th, 2008. Brent and I had welcomed our third son into the world the morning before. He was barely twenty-four hours old. My sweet Luke. Our 08-08-08 little Lukie.
My father-in-law (A.K.A. Pops) came early to the hospital room that morning to see the baby. He and my mother-in-law are Super Heroes BTW – coming equipped with costume, cape and a big back of tricks for Luke’s two older brothers. Mimi and Pops were holding’ down the fort back home…making sure everyone was fed, happy and seeing to it that no little boy was burning down the house. Nice.
I heart my In-laws.
Pops took his newest grandson from me and walked over to sit down on the green, vinyl couch.
Staring down at baby Luke, Pops said, “So I was curious. This morning I wondered what Luke 8:8 might say. So I looked it up.”
“What a great idea! I have not even thought of that. Well, what does it say?” I asked.
Still looking down at the baby, “Well. Jesus is telling the parable of the sower. Luke 8:8 talks of the good soil.”
5. A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown. Luke 8:5-8
Chills. Little Lukie. My good soil.
We want our children to have hearts of fertile soil. Rich and ready for the seed of God’s Word to take root and spring up strong.
But listen, we can sow seeds of God’s Word until we are blue in the face, but it’s the soil. The soil is where transformation takes place.
This morning, let us pray for good soil. Fertile hearts. Let us pray that our children will live lives likened to a fruit-bearing tree. Pray the truth of Christ settles deeply into their heart, that their love of God grows so deeply that they look at the world and see nothing to gain. May they always find their true worth in Christ.
Brent chimed into my conversation with Pops, “Man,” He said, “I sure am glad he wasn’t born on the seventh.” {grin}
Dear Lord, Thank you for your Word that ensures us that seed falling on good soil will reap a harvest. I pray right now for ______________ (name children), I pray their hearts will be fertile and rich ground that takes hold of your Word. I pray your Truth will settle down deep and forms strong roots. I pray for every scheme of the enemy to be thwarted. I ask you to protect every seed that falls onto their lives. Lord, if my child does not know you as their Savior, I pray RIGHT NOW that they would come to know you. I ask you, Father, that my children would live fruit bearing lives. As we send them off to school, I pray that the world would not snatch up the seeds sown. Bring about farmers, other than myself, that love you, Lord Jesus. Bring about farmers that sow seeds of your Word and your Love. Take their little hearts of stone and make them into hearts of flesh. I pray, in faith, that my children will be “good soil, yielding a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” In Jesus Name, Amen.
Reflect and Respond:
- As a parent, what are ways you can sow seeds today into your child’s heart today? Write down a few intentional ways, maybe in a journal or on your daily planner. (ex…read a morning devotional, listen to praise music in the car, let them hear you pray, pray with your child, etc)
- On their level, read the parable of the sower to you child today. Explain how God’s Word is the seed. And their heart is the soil. Explain how God loves for us to have hearts that are open and ready to hear from Him and hold fast to His words.
- Here is a great resource with activities and dialogue for smaller children when teaching this parable!
Power Verse:
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19
AND CONGRATS TO SHANNON BRADLEY! You are the winner of our Jesus Culture CD!!! Thank you all for the 300+ entries! Wow! How fun was that?! Let’s do it again soon. Yes!?
Do you have an encouraging story of a time when you’ve seen evidence of good soil in your child’s life? Share as a comment. I would love to hear.
Becky Crenshaw 
Becky, this is beautiful!! 🙂 You are such a gifted writer. I need to remember this prayer for my sweet Ella Grace!
Sweet Ella Grace! I love that name Brenda!!
Love this Becky! God is so good! An encouraging story: Joe and I helped clean at church the other night and he blessed me when he said with a smile, “We get to clean the Lord’s house!” Being excited about cleaning the Lord’s house is good soil!
Oooh! That is good soil! xoox
Just the other day, my sweet boy told me that he’s going to strive to share God’s love with people more this year at school. He said he has been nice & everything, but he hasn’t said enough about Jesus in the past. He even sorta rehearsed what he might say to other students! ❤