Today’s Readings: Lev 7:28‐9:6, Mark 3:31‐4:25, Ps 37:12‐29, Prov 10:5

Mark 4:18-19 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

One of my greatest fears is that I will reach the end of life and God will show me that I did not produce fruit that lasted. As Americans, we cannot read Mark 4 without taking note of what Jesus says keeps the word from producing fruit in some people’s lives.

Observations about the people “among thorns:”
1. They hear the word.
2. Things “choke the word:”
a. Cares of the world
b. Deceitfulness of riches
c. Desires for other things
3. These things make them unfruitful

Apply: Just last night I spent several hours looking for the cheapest, quality, “gear” I could track down for my next trip. It is amazing how quickly I can get sucked into the desire for other things. Today I want to meditate on this passage and check myself – what is fruitful and what will choke out the fruit?

Pray: Lord, give me the strength to weed out the “thorns” in my life.

What jumped out to you today?