They believe for a while ...

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And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

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Most of us are familiar with the parable of the sower and the seed but if you are not you can read it in Luke 8:4-15. Today I would like to consider the seed that "fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture". Unlike the seed that fell on the pathway this took root and began to grow in a visible way.

I think that the challenge for many of us in this part of the story is wrestling with what it represents. The seed that fell on the hard heart was understandable and pretty straightforward. This one, not so much. The one with the hard heart did not believe but Jesus says that these "believe for a while" and when trials come they fall away.

The seed on the rock communicates a shallow heart that superficially accepts Christ. I want to say that they believed a different gospel but the seed remains the same in each instance. The problem is not in the message but in the heart. These fall away because God does not have all of their heart. It speaks to me of the dangers of halfhearted faith.

I want you to have all of me Lord. Shine the light of your Spirit on those parts not already yours.

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