STRONGHOLD!

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9

That same day, Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the shore, and he told them many things in parables.

He said, 'Listen, a sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up at once, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Anyone who has ears should listen!'

***

I am actually familiar with the parable of the sower since I was in Grade Six. We used this parable as our piece in the Verse Choir competition. Not knowing that it is the parable from the Bible, we won in the competition but I wasn't actually aware of the real meaning of the parable. I just thought that the parable is about a sower who went out to sow his seeds and unfortunately, some of his seeds were wasted.

It's funny how God gives me another opportunity to hear what He has to say to me through the parable. Now, I understand that we are the seeds in the story. The seeds who fell on the edge of the path and were eaten by birds are the people who chose not to listen to the words of the Lord. We can associate the seeds who fell on the patches of rock to the people who have lost and has a little faith. The seeds who fell among the thorns are the people who chose to listen but didn't apply His words into their lives. But of course, those seeds who fell on rich soil are the people who have stronghold to the Lord and chose to follow His path.

And what did Jesus said lastly?

"Anyone who has ears should listen!"

Exclamation point! See? He said it with conviction. The Gospel tells us that if we live our life in faith and prayer, we will be like the seeds who fell on the rich soil who became produced more and more crops; full of blessings and richer in spirit. Now, God is challenging us to see Him as our stronghold in every phase of out lives, may it be in happiness and agony, victory and downfall, in times of bounty and in times of shortage. And He assures us that, He will open the gate full of blessings in our lives.

The Gospel tells us that as we wake up every morning, may be our mouths utter the words, "Lord, you are my stronghold." Or, maybe, this one is much better, "Lord, you are my STRONGHOLD!"