Deeper

"Not much earth" (Matt. 13:5).

Shallow! It would seem from the teaching of this parable that we have something to do with the soil. The fruitful seed fell into "good and honest hearts." I suppose the shallow people are the soil without much earth--those who have no real purpose, are moved by a tender appeal, a good sermon, a pathetic melody, and at first it looks as if they would amount to something; but not much earth--no depth, no deep, honest purpose, no earnest desire to know duty in order to do it. Let us look after the soil of our hearts.

When a Roman soldier was told by his guide that if he insisted on taking a certain journey it would probably be fatal, he answered, "It is necessary for me to go; it is not necessary for me to live."

This was depth. When we are convicted something like that we shall come to something. The shallow nature lives in its impulses, its impressions, its intuitions, its instincts, and very largely its surroundings. The profound character looks beyond all these, and moves steadily on, sailing past all storms and clouds into the clear sunshine which is always on the other side, and waiting for the afterwards which always brings the reversion of sorrow, seeming defeat and failure.

When God has deepened us, then He can give us His deeper truths, His profoundest secrets, and His mightier trusts. Lord, lead me into the depths of Thy life and save me from a shallow experience!~ Unknown

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Let us look closer at the context of this scripture to draw from its power so that we may equip ourselves with deeper soil.

 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 “Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. (Matthew 13:3-6, NASB)

Here we see that the fruitful seed fell on fertile soil. The soil represents the human heart. The condition of one's heart determines the direction of one's life. Scripture tells us that in its natural state, the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). The only way to reverse this condition is to make it pliable to the Word of God and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 5 says that some of the seeds fell on rocky places that did not have much soil. Because there was not much soil, the growth was quick, but there was no depth, and where there is no depth, there are no roots. It is one thing to hear the Word of God, but it is quite another to allow it the proper environment in your heart so that it may take root.

You see where there is no depth of person, there is a yearning for the feel good sermon to get you through the week. This, however, leaves you with no true foundation to engage the enemy and the struggles of this ethereal journey of Christianity. Those that have no depth in the soil of their heart lack the ability to identify with their design and purpose. They assume it is all about them and become offended when the vicissitudes of life crash their self-indulged party. You see, the shallow of heart are surface dwellers, they will never soar at majestic heights because they were never willing to anchor themselves in the depth of God's Word.

Where there is no depth, one is easily swayed by soft and gentle appeal and smooth speech. Where there is no depth, there is no certainty of purpose and where there is no certainty of purpose, there is no direction. The shallow heart becomes lost in the love song, but bearing no depth to experience its true melody.

Where there is depth, suffering for blessing takes on new meaning. Those that are deeply rooted in the Word are not self-absorbed, but understand that the story being told is bigger than they are. Like Job, the deep heart gladly bears affliction and hardship to give testimony to God's power to sustain and ultimately deliver.

When we provide the deep soil to cultivate God's Word in our hearts, God deepens us. The deep provides the profound. The superficial is transcended by that which is deep, detailed, thorough, and genuine.

If you really want to experience God's best for you life, open up your heart, deepen the soil, and allow the roots of God's Word to take hold. God desires to accomplish the supernatural through you, but you must allow God into the places in your heart that you have kept locked away from him. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace