“As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure and delight and glamour and deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit.” Matthew 13:22 ->me: This time the soil is good, but it is already taken up. So, here is where my mind went today when I read this passage and dwelt on it. God’s seed of Truth and the Living Word is being thrown out, but I am the one who is in charge of my soil. QUESTION: What is the frequency in which God (the sower) is sowing His seed? Is it only in season (once in a while) or is it being thrown out all the time. ANSWER: Don’t really know yet (more reading to do and it is possible that I can’t know). RESPONSE: I must have my soil always ready! If my soil is full of rocks (indecision and a lack of total surrender and dependence on God -> easily swayed with unbelief and discouragement) then I must do the work to remove the hard material that keeps the roots from going deep (I think God fills in the gaps the rocks leave with good soil if I allow Him). If my soil is choked out with the thorns, thistles, and weeds of earthly pleasures, pursuit of wealth, fleshly desires, and coping devices – then I must starve them of the food and water (attention) they are getting. I do this long enough and those thorns, thistles, and weeds will die and leave beautiful soil behind. Lord God, help me identify the rocks just under the surface of the soil and have the strength to starve any remaining weeds in my soil so that I may receive seed that will produce 100 times that which was sown.