Luke 8

Scripture Focus:
“But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.”
— Luke 8:15 (NRSVUE)

Reflection

In Luke 8, Jesus tells the parable of the sower—a story about seeds, soil, and the mysterious way God’s Word takes root in us. The sower scatters generously, without concern for where each seed lands. Some fall on hard paths, others among thorns, and some into good soil where they grow and flourish.

Jesus reminds us that hearing the Word is not enough; it must be held fast in an honest and good heart. Advent invites us to consider the condition of our own soil. Is it crowded by worry or distraction? Is it hardened by disappointment or doubt? Or is it open, ready to receive the Word anew?

This is a season of holy cultivation—of clearing space, softening hearts, and tending faith so that it can take deeper root. The fruit of faith doesn’t grow overnight. It comes with patience, with trust, and with the quiet confidence that God is working beneath the surface, even when we can’t yet see it.

Prayer

Gardener of our souls,
You scatter Your Word with grace and abundance.
Help us become good soil—
open, honest, and ready to receive what You plant within us.
When distractions choke our growth, clear them away.
When our hearts grow hard, soften them with Your Spirit.
Teach us to wait with patience and to bear fruit with endurance,
that our lives might reflect Your goodness in every season.
Amen.

Practice

Find something green and growing today—a houseplant, a tree, or even a patch of winter grass.
Pause and notice its quiet persistence.
Reflect on what God may be cultivating in you this season.

If you keep an Advent journal, draw or write about the “soil” of your heart.
What helps your faith grow? What gets in the way?
Ask God to tend your soil with love and to grow something beautiful from it.

Copyright © 2025 Ronda Welander