Many churches, both the Lord’s and man-made institutions, are struggling to attain what was lost prepandemic. In our own midst, we have many who are spiritually sick (all of us), but a number more who are worse off. This is evident because of their lack of attendance (a reflection of the heart). We are not a very large congregation, but we should be averaging at least 70 on a weekly basis. Those who are physically sick are not are in mind with these remarks.
Spiritual sickness is directly related to this world’s physical, material, emotional, mental distractions. The Lord gave attention to this in His parable of the Sower (or soils). There are some hearts which exhibit no depth at all, but are hardened by the desires they have, and consequently reject the Lord. Some hearts have only surface depth, so the seed of the Word of God begins to grow, but perishes when the heat begins to increase. Some hearts allow one distraction after another. “I can’t get there because….”
The hearts received by the Lord, are those hearts that receive His word and produce a crop. Those who produce a crop struggle with similar things as everyone one else; they refuse, however, to let the distractions gain a foothold. Satan’s foothold is not easily shaken, but not easily shaken is not impossible.
What kind of heart do you have? RT