#77: THE SUPERFICIAL HEART

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed…some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. Now the parable is this: the seed is the Word of God. They on the rock are they which when they hear, receive the Word with joy; and these have no root which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. (Luke 8:5, 6, 11, 13)

We are believing God to deliver us from the superficial syndrome that has long cut short our dealings with God. The case study today is of a very pathetic category of people. Reading the whole parable of the sower many will claim that they are not on the wayside, and they will quickly identify with the very few (emphasis mine and deliberately chosen, Matthew 7:14) people with a fertile heart. However a careful study will show you that the other two heart conditions in the parable are deceptive and God has to help us to discover in time that while we think that our hearts are fertile, they may actually be superficial or entangled. May the LORD give us insight as we study the peculiarities’ of the superficial heart.

The first thing to note is that the heart is rocky. This is in essence what makes it superficial in nature. A superficial heart is concerned with or comprehends only what is apparent or obvious, it does not think deep and nothing can penetrate is emotionally or intellectually. On the psychology point of view, if a person is pierced emotionally, there is a sad effect. A superficial heart always wants to be happy. Even though the Word of God is a hammer, a fire, a two edged sword (Jer 23:29, Heb 4:12), the superficial heart carefully sieves the sections of the Word of God it wants to hear, they even go a step further to carefully select the prophets and pastors that will minister to them.

And as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away (when they hear the Word, receive it with joy…and in time of temptation fall away). Since this heart like being happy, instead of trembling at the Word of God, they are the first set of people to be screaming in the congregation “under the anointing”, they may even be the first people to come out for alter call because they have not deliberated over the issue that God is dealing with; they have not counted any cost for following Jesus. The smallest rhema they get makes them so excited and they are so ready to pour it out without first of all brooding over their lives to check if the Word of God is alive in them. As a plant their growth is so quick, nevertheless their withering is as fast. They believe for a while and in the day of testing they realize that their strength is weak (Prov 21:10).

...because it lack moisture (and these have no root which for a while believe). In the midst of the drama and demonstrations displayed by the superficial heart, what makes his case so pathetic and what is the beginning of his fall/withering is the absence of root to draw water needed for longevity. Biologically, all the metabolism in the body need water. You will not die the first day in absence of water, you may not die after four days of not taking water, but your countdown timer is ticking faster. This plant in the parable does not have a foundation. The rocky heart has refused to give way for the roots to take its place in search for water. When we notice that we are just making noise and all our activities have no depth at all, we have to call our hearts to order. It is rocky. There is no foundation to be laid than which was laid-Jesus (I Cor 3:11). Is Jesus at the center of every good works you are performing?

Thought: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).