Receptivity: The Key that Unlocks the Secrets of God

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
Mark 4	Mark 5	Mark 6	Genesis 47	Genesis 48	Psalms 20	Proverbs 7

Though it seems obvious enough, we need periodically to remind ourselves that the things of God are only discerned spiritually. While having the things of God explained to one who does not know, intellectual understanding will only be partial. So how is the one who is not spiritual to understand the things of God? And the answer to this is also obvious. Those who are not spiritual come to understand spiritual things by responding to what little understanding they are initially given. So by having the things of God explained to them, the non-spiritual person is given the opportunity to respond to that little bit of understanding they are given. It is their response to either accept or reject, seek more or turn away, that either opens or closes the door to more understanding. Those who do understand spiritual things will not force the door open for those who do not understand simply through intellectual reasoning.

Jesus explained to His disciples that "the secret of the kingdom of God" is not revealed to those who are outside. For them these secrets are told in parables which are not understood upon the simple hearing of them. They are not intended to understand though they look and look and listen and listen. Intellectual pursuit of the secrets of the kingdom of God does not crack open the secrets. As Jesus explained this to His disciples He went on to explain to them the meaning of the parable of the sower which He had earlier told to a large crowd gathered around Him, hoping to give the disciples further understanding of what He was trying to tell them.

In the parable, a sower spread the seed he was sowing over the ground and the ground on which it fell varied. Some seed fell on rocky ground and was unable to put down good roots and thus was scorched by the sun. Other seed fell among thorns and was choked out. And yet other seed was snatched away by birds. But there was seed that fell on good ground, and this seed yielded a crop 30 to 100 times what was sown.

What was the difference between the seed that produced and that which didn't? The receptivity of the soil! In other words, the receptivity of the heart of the hearer of God's word. When Jesus was alone with His disciples and explained the parable to them, He explained that the seed snatched away by birds was representative of Satan taking away from some the word that is planted in them. The seed that fell on rocky ground represented those who do not allow God's word to take root in their lives, so it soon withers. Finally, the seed that fell among thorns represented those who initially receive God's word but allow various distractions to choke it so that it becomes unfruitful. These are distractions such as worries, pursuit of wealth, and the desire for other things besides the things of God.

Those in whom the seed produced a crop were those who welcomed the word. This makes it clear that the conditions which kept the seed from being fruitful in the others were not conditions over which they had no control. They submitted themselves to those conditions whereas those in whom the seed was fruitful submitted themselves to the word of God they heard. Herein lies the source of spiritual understanding.