GOOD GROUND

But others fell on GOOD GROUND and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty – Matthew 13:8 (NKJV)

The ‘Ground’ has always been vital to human destiny. God released “a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground” (Gen.2:6). He desired to have a good and well-watered, rather than patched ground for humankind to flourish in. That intention remains:  “the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water…” (Isa.35:7). In addition, the Ground has always been part of God’s creative apparatus and part of humanity’s raw material: “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the GROUND, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…Out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow…and…formed every beast…” (vs.7, 9, 19). Spiritually, what does the Good Ground mean for us?

The parable of the Sower describes four kinds of ground: hard, rocky (stony), thorny, and good grounds. Whenever the Word of God is preached or taught through His faithful servants, there are four kinds of hearts or hearers:

1. The Hard-ground hearer (v.4): describes the person who hears the Word but whose heart is hard, without depth; the Word is not received; while it stays on the surface the birds come and snatch it. Some people are like that: they hear the Word, seem to like it, have it ON their minds, but not IN their hearts e.g. Judas Iscariot (Lk. 22:47-48).
2. The Rocky-ground hearer (v.5, 20-21): the shallow soil represents the superficial hearers, who profess conversion; and even go on well, until trouble or persecution comes, and then they give up e.g. Simon Magus (Acts 8:9-24).
3. The Thorny-ground hearer (v.7, 22): is the double-minded hearer, whose heart is worldly and preoccupied with materialism (Mt. 6:24). Many appear to receive the word, but when they allow worldly pursuits and possessions to rule their lives, the Word becomes choked (Mk.4:19). Ananias and Sapphira were ““thorny-ground”” hearers (Acts 5:1-11).
4. The Good-ground hearer (v.8, 23): is one who is honest, receptive and fruitful. Nathaniel (John 1:45-51), the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39), and Cornelius (Acts 10:1-2, 44-48) are classical illustrations.

Which of these relate to you? Are you manifesting a rocky, unbroken, and unsanctified heart? Or is your heart a good ground for cultivation by the Holy Spirit? Have you been making a fair show in the flesh without having a matching inner life? God’s Will and Purpose is that your life and soul be like a “watered garden…whose waters fail not” (Isa.58:11; Jer.31:12). Ultimately, you have a responsibility to prepare your heart to receive the Word: “Break up your fallow ground” (Jer.4:3