Slow Down!

Luke 8:⁶ “Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock.  This seed began to grow, but soon it withered and died for lack of moisture.” [with emphasis]

#2. If I want to be tuned to God, I must Create Time to Listen. So the first thing to do is, cultivate an open mind and secondly, take time to listen. Slow down and make time to be quiet so that you can hear God speak. Haste is a major hindrance to hearing God. You need to slow down! Unfortunately, we live in a post microwave era, where the microwave is even considered too slow. Have you seen people upset at it for giving them in two minutes what it would have taken them at least thirty minutes to heat up on the stove?

Invariably, we bring this into our relationship with God. We say to God, “Speak but be quick because I need the answer now!” And that hinders us from hearing God. You have to create time to listen. Say it aloud; I have to create time to listen to God, my God. Why? It is because if you do not create time, it can result in a superficial life [a shallow life]. And that is what Jesus points out in the second kind of soil [Luke 8:6]. Jesus explains in Luke 8:^13, “The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy.  But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep.  They believe for a while, but they wilt when the hot winds of testing blow” [with emphasis]. A shallow soil is a superficial mind.

Imagine this, a young man meets up with his friend from church. He has been out of town and is curious to find out details about the sermon he missed. His friend says, “The service was powerful”. Have you heard that before? Okay, so what did pastor talk about? He says, “Errmm…. but it was really powerful!”. Yes, I believe it must have been powerful and that is why I really need to know what it was about. Then he says, “I think it was something to do with… but it was very powerful! You need to get the CD”. This is a classic example of no roots. He heard and enjoyed the message but… no roots. But that will not be your portion, in Jesus Name. If you do not actively engage the Word, it will go with the wind. You need to make out time to let it sink in. You need to take out time to be with your God! It takes more than enthusiasm, it takes commitment. Make out time! There is no substitute for it, you have to spend time with God.

Prayer [song]: I searched all over, couldn’t find nobody. I looked high and low, still couldn’t find nobody. Nobody greater (2x), nobody greater than You. Amen!