Marcia's Poem of the Week 12.31.2021

 Marcia's Poem of the Week 12.31.202

Sowers and the Soils 

Regarding Scripture Luke 8: 4-8, The Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed. 4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

SOWERS AND THE SOILS Luke 8: 4-8

Four soils lie down underfoot,
Where we walk about each day,
Rocky, hard, thorny and fertile,
Listen to what they have to say.

Understand the sower of seed,
As God's worker in the field,
For God's Word is seed that feeds,
And invites us all to yield.

The soil is your mind and heart,
That's too often filled with clutter,
God's word is the cleansing part,
For us to share with one another.

As the sower of the seeds,
You will also help prepare,
By pulling up the weeds,
To make life better there.

If your seed falls on rocky soil,
It'll wither under the sun's heat,
Should seed fall on footpath soil,
Birds will snatch them for a treat.

And should they fall on thorny soil,
Tender plants will be choked away,
Best is seed thrown on fertile soil, 
To soak-up the sun and be fed each day.

God has given you His seeds of love,
To be planted in soil that's fertile, 
And since you belong to Christ above,
Your heart and mind will grow eternal. 

Marcia Riehle   2021

And for my three great grandsons: Jeremiah, Tobiah and Elijah

Summary Regarding Luke 8: 4-8. The seed (carrying new life) is God's word and the fertile soil is your heart and mind. The rocky soil represents those who hear and receive with joy and believe, and then fall away when tempted. The hard soil represents those who never hear or understand and soon the birds devour the seeds. The birds represent evil. Thorny soil represents those who are choked out by the cares, riches and pleasures of life which bring no fruit or maturity.

THE YOUNG SOWERS

Tender and sweet is your heart,
Curious is your fertile mind,
You can do the Sowers part,
And with God's help you'll find,
Proper soil for your seeds,
Where they can grow strong,
And as you pull out the weeds,
You'll reveal the right from wrong,
And God will pour out blessings,
That will be hard to contain,
For as you learn God's lessons,
You'll be a sower in God's domain. 

Marcia Riehle  2021