Luke 8:4-8, 11-15: A Prayer for Good Soil

Lord, make me into good soil.

Break the compacted soil of my soul; transform its hardened clumps into pliable loam. Remove the rocks that hinder your word from taking root in me—the areas of hardness in my heart—and replace them with the compost of your Holy Spirit. And add plenty of it because I can’t bear fruit worthy of you without that rich, sweet, humus.

Give me a good basic dressing from your scripture. Moisten me with your living water, warm me to just the right temperature, and adjust my spiritual Ph to strike the perfect balance between discipline and grace so I can best germinate the seeds you plant in me.

Once those seeds are planted don’t let me get dry, depleted, too hot, or too cold. Irrigate me daily with prayer and time in your word. Side dress me at least weekly with the gathering of your saints and continually cover me with the mulch of your presence.

Lord, keep me weeded, no matter what it takes. Pull those wasteful things out of my life so your good blessings—your humus, nutrients, and moisture—are used for your purposes. Do it quickly before their roots get deep and keep me weeded so I can yield the best possible crop. Most of all, help me to use these things to bear fruit that pleases you.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(Other images addressing the need to conform/yield to God were posted at Images from God on September 12, 18 (part 3), 18 (part 4), 23, October 3 (guitar), 3 (garden soil), November 6, 21, December 8, 12, 15, 2004 and January 10, February 18, May 11, June 18, 27, August 21 and 27, 2005.

Images dealing with the importance of exercising the spiritual disciplines were posted at Images from God on September 12, 18, and 18.1, and October 3, 2004 and January 10 and August 27, 2005.)