Unreceived
We don't have many examples of Jesus explaining his parables, but we do today.
And he said to them, 'Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. - Mark 4:13-19
The explanation today talks to all of us who hear the Word of God but somehow fail to let it go to work in us.
Imagine for a moment that he is not talking about different types of people, but instead is telling us we all are each of these at some point in our lives.
When did I hear and ignore?
When did I hear and say I would do something, but failed?
When did I hear and try to do something, but was overwhelmed with other priorities?
When did I hear and start a project but lost interest?
In all these instances, the message becomes unreceived. It starts out having some impact, but either quickly or eventually slips away.
The good news, though, is that at some point, if we continue to hear the Word, it will take root. The message will become the seed that grows in us, and if we care for it, and try harder to make it a priority, it will yield fruit beyond our expectations.
The key is not to give up and not to blame ourselves for failing in the past.
What was previously unreceived, can become the pathway to a new life.
More to come...