Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil. When the sun came up it, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered. Mark 4:5-6 HCSB
Ever feel like you are growing on rocky ground? The seed that fell on rocky ground didn’t have much soil. Its roots were shallow. It was scorched when the sun came up. Or you might say it couldn’t take the heat. Here in southeast Louisiana we have lots of heat combined with humidity which makes our summers miserable. I often say that God must be giving us a little taste of what hell is going to be like.
We live in a cold, cruel word. There is evil all around us. As Christians we will face pressure, but we must be able to stand the pressure. Harry S. Truman once said, “If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen”. As Christians we will face pressure. We will face situations that will bring on the heat so to speak. We must be able to withstand these things. I always say being a Christian is not for the weak.
In order for us to stand strong we must stand with God. We must be firmly rooted in His word. We must trust in Him and obey His commands. The devil is like the hot sun just waiting to scorch those who are not firmly rooted in a solid relationship with God.
The seed that falls along the path never has a chance to grow, it is plucked up by the birds. The seed that falls on rocky ground grows but is short-lived because it doesn’t have a good foundation with a lot of soil to keep the roots protected.
It is easy to go to church and get caught up with fellow Christians and want to serve the Lord, but it takes commitment to stay through the tough times. I’ve seen many people come to church for a while, get excited and get baptized and then fall away from the church. As Christians we have a responsibility to try to teach these new Christians that the going will get tough at times, but we must persevere. We must come beside them and encourage them.
Our foundation must be found in Jesus Christ. We must be firmly rooted in Him. We must follow His commands to love Him with our whole heart and love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). We must focus on Him and trust Him to take care of all we need (Matthew 6:33-34). We must never grow weary of doing good knowing that in due time we will reap what we have sown (Galatians 6:9).
If your roots feel shallow and you worry that you can’t stand against the devil, turn to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Solidify your relationship with Him before it’s too late. Grow in constant communication with Him through studying His word and prayer.
Have a great day!