Cultivating Heart Soil

Recently, two friends of mine went to Bali to help with a missionary conference—a working vacation of sorts. Their "duty" was to care for the 8 young children of those attending, two of which were their grandsons. So, they held Vacation Bible School, a delight filled task! To make it even more fun for these children who were very familiar with Bible stories, they had them act out the stories, improvising with things in the hotel room to dress them up, i.e. using bedding for turbans, etc.

 

One of the stories was the Parable of the Soils (Matthew 13:1-23). The children pretended to be the different parts, one of the favorites of which was the soil. Imagine that—children liking dirt.

 

It made me think—every child is soil. Every day, seeds are being planted into their lives—good seed, as in this parable, and bad seed. Their hearts make the difference in how/which seed is received.

 

Our prayers have the power to affect their hearts. This is because—

 

Prayer is what moves the hand of God. And it is His hand that directs a heart.

 

"A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever He chooses."

Proverbs 21:1 (HCSB)

 

That is why we pray.

 

We ask God to cultivate the soil of their hearts to desire good seed, receive it, and then yield a crop.

 

We pray that the wicked one will be prevented from snatching the good seed sown in their hearts. We pray that the seed settles in and grows roots that tribulation will not disturb. We pray that thorns, cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches will not choke the seed.

 

We ask the Lord that our children will receive the Word of God with understanding and bear fruit.

 

We arise and cry out day and night pouring out our hearts before the presence of the Lord. We lift up our hands to Him for the lives of our children. (From Lamentations 2:9)

 

And as we do, we go over the head of the prince of this world to the King of kings and Lord of lords whose Word tells us—

 

"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them."

Psalm 145:18-19 (NKJV)

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and His ears are open to their prayer…"

1 Peter 3:12 (ESV)

 

Remember praying moms, your prayers are powerful because power and mercy belong to the Lord, the Hearer of your prayers.

 

"There is none like You …
Your mercy flows like a river wide and healing comes in Your Name.
Suffering children are safe in Your arms …
There is none like You."

Lenny LeBlanc