The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 8:8,
"Other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
In the parable of the sower, Jesus explained to his disciples that the gospel would be greeted by hearts that might have one of four dispositions. In verses 11 through 15 Jesus explained that when the word of God is "sown" there will be those who will not believe as the devil "takes away the word from their hearts". Then there will be those who will initially receive the word with joy but have no root and fall away during a "time of testing". Then there are those who are so filled with life's worries, riches and pleasures that the word of God does not produce a crop. However, there are those with a "noble and good heart" who hear the word, retain it, persevere in it and produce a crop. It is those with a noble and good heart that the gospel resonates. These are the ones God has chosen for his kingdom.
God is building his kingdom today. He has paid the penalty for the sins of all mankind and invites to himself all people through the gospel. "He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2. However, he only wants those who want him. Only those who embrace him in faith as Abraham did will receive eternal life while all others will face judgment. In Genesis 15:6 we read, "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." Paul tells us, "The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." Romans 4:23-24.
Later in the book of Romans Paul addressed the complaint of those who refuse to embrace God in faith. In a section of his letter where he discusses those who want to earn their way into God's kingdom by being do-gooders (law-keepers) rather than trust in God, Paul anticipates their question, "One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?'" Paul's firm reply is his question back to them, "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Romans 9:19-21. Their complaint is that it is unfair of God to chose only those who will embrace him in faith. Paul's point is that God has the right to chose whomever he wants as he quotes the Lord in Exodus 33:19, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
God has chosen for himself all who will receive him in faith and only those who receive him in faith. These are the folks with "a noble and good heart". The wonderful thing about this is that even I can be saved. Any of us can. It is up to each one of us. Paul tells us why many of his countrymen didn't make it into God's kingdom while so many of the Gentiles did in Romans 9:30- 32, "The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works."
Where I could never make it into God's kingdom by being well-behaved, my trust in God puts me in good standing with him. I think it is wonderful our God chose for himself anyone who will embrace him in faith! All it takes is a heart willing to do so.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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