preparing a heart...

Preparation of a heart for Him... requires work...

Sow for yourselves righteousness;

reap steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground,

for it is time to seek the Lord,

that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12 ESV

Sow... righteousness...

reap... love...

break up... hard ground...

it's time...

so He may come...

Sow righteousness... do what's right...

Break up the hard places in your heart... those attitudes... thoughts... emotions... keeping you from doing right...

pride...

resentment...

bitterness...

This is hard work...

painful work...

identifying sin...

acknowledging sin...

Break up your fallow ground,

and sow not among thorns.

Jeremiah 4:4 ESV

Break up... hard hearts...
sow not... among thorns...

Don't we know...? it's foolish to plant among thorns...? briers...?
Do we really need this instruction...?

When it comes to a spiritual planting... Jesus names those thorns...

"... As for what was sown among thorns,

this is the one who hears the word,

but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches

choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. ..."

Matthew 13:22 ESV

Cares... worries... these are thorny places needing removal...

But in addition to worries... riches... choke out growth...

too much stuff...

too much to do...

too many distractions...

How often do we try to plant His Word...? in our brier filled hearts...?

Our world is full of worries... and riches...
both interfering in our relationship with Him...
One says... He doesn't care...
The other... He's not enough...

Planting His Word... is only fruitful... if we take time and energy... to prepare our hearts...

Ask Him... to show you the thorny patches... and hard places... in your heart...

It will be hard... painful... but well worth the work...

Lord... show me... where the thorns grow wild in my heart...

reveal the hard ground... that needs breaking...

bless me... with the strength... and desire... 

to prepare my heart... for more of You...