Is worry a burden to you? Are you just tired from all the stress in your life? Jesus wants to help us with things that are weighing us down. He told a crowd of people a parable about a farmer sowing seeds. Read the whole parable in Mark 4, then see if you can understand the story and how Jesus is helping others. This is how He explained it later to His disciples.
Seeds of wheat.
Plant and harvest.
Was this wheat planted...
on rocky or good soil?
Did it produce a good harvest?
No worries with God.
The farmer plants seed by taking
God's word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who
hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on
the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it
with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall
away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but
all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life,
the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's
word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as
had been planted!" Mark
4:14-20 (Underlined for emphasis.)
Jesus
went to many towns preaching and healing people, but there were many who didn’t
want to turn from their sins. Were they just too overwhelmed with their lives?
Are we like that today?
Then Jesus said, "Come to me,
all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and
the burden I give you is light." Matthew
11:28-30
Jesus’
message over two thousand years ago is the same today. He is still willing and
able to teach us, to take our burdens, and to give our very souls rest from our
worries. Are you willing to let Jesus help you?
Don't
worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all
he has done. Philippians
4:6 (Underlined for emphasis.)
Prayer
– Lord, no worries when I’m on your team. Thank you, Jesus, for teaching me and
allowing me to be yoked to you.
Meditate—let
go and let God take care of my worries.
Verses
of Salvation ~ You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose
names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge
over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven
who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates
the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which
speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of
Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking.
For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to
Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One
who speaks to us from heaven! Hebrews
12:23-25
