Luther Seminary

A daily devotion brought to you by the alumni of Luther Seminary

Archives for January 3, 2003

Friday, January 3, 2003

Mark 4:1-9 (NRSV)

Read Mark 4:1-9 on biblegateway.com

Chapter 4Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. Verse 2He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: Verse 3"Listen! A sower went out to sow. Verse 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Verse 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. Verse 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Verse 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Verse 8Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." Verse 9And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!"

Devotion

Before telling his disciples a parable, Jesus says to them, "Listen!" How often we need this wake-up call. Listen to my words, Jesus says. If you want to be the good soil, the productive seed, then listen. I have shown you and told you everything that is sufficient for you-you have my word on it. But listen! That is the only way I can possibly plant my seed.

Prayer

We want to identify ourselves with goodness, productivity and faith, yet we stop our ears from your holy Word. Forgive us. Lord, when we become locked up in ourselves, just as hard and inflexible as dried old ground, help us to listen-we want to bring forth good fruit. Amen.

Janet Ramsey Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota