a guest post (5th of 5) by Lauren Jones Marquez*
How am I tending the soil of my heart so that God’s Word can take root?
This question came to mind a day after writing my thoughts on deepening the intimacy in our relationships with God. I thought of the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13). The seed is likened to Christ’s message. Different factors were involved in whether or not that message took root and how it grew.
I want to live a life that is fruitful and productive in Christ. In this parable, the productive and fruitful life is likened to the seed that falls on “good soil”. I think of my own inner life as the soil. Am I cultivating my inner life in such a way that God’s Word is able to take root and grow and produce fruit?
So many of my thoughts and experiences about deepening intimacy in my relationship with God are connected to taking the time to read the Word and pray. Yet my inner life impacts this process as well. When I read God’s Word, is my inner life tended in such a way that I am able to grow as unhindered as possible in my relationship with God? That, after all, is the source of true life and my primary delight and purpose from which all other purposes should flow.
Practically, I am challenged and reminded of this all throughout the day. My inner life is impacted by what I think and talk about. It is impacted by what I read and watch and listen to and how I spend my time:
- Do these things encourage my relationship with God?
- Are these areas of my life submitted to God?
- Do they cultivate “good soil” within me so that God’s Word takes root and grows?
I want to be mindful of these things and choose wisely so that I am able to enjoy the fullness of a growing relationship with God which is then also fruitful and productive. –LLJM
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*This post is the fifth and final installment of a series of guest posts on the topic of “Deepening Intimacy with God” by Lauren Jones Marquez. Here are the links to Lauren’s other four posts in this series:
Like Trees Planted 