March 16 - Lenten Devotional

"A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed… Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.”

“As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” (Luke 8:5, 7, 14)

The following is an excerpt from Eugene Peterson’s book, The Jesus Way:

The childlike animals (Pooh and his friends) had been assembled by Christopher Robin for an adventure – they were off to discover the North Pole. It is a meandering tale in which everyone takes everything with complete seriousness, although no one understands much of what is going on. Each character contributes something essential to the quest. The world is large with meaning and no one is left out. But neither is any one sure what the North Pole is, not even Christopher Robin, who proposed the expedition.

Along the way little Roo falls into a stream and needs rescuing. Everyone pitches in. Pooh picks up a pole and fishes him out. The emergency is over, the animals talk it over while Pooh stands there with a pole in his hands. Christopher Robin then says,

“Pooh… where did you find that pole?”
Pooh looked at the pole in his hands.
“I just found it,” he said. “I thought it ought to be useful. I just picked it up.”
“Pooh,” said Christopher Robin solemnly, “the expedition is over. You have found the North Pole!”
“Oh!” said Pooh.

The animals go on with the desultory, haphazard conversation for a while until Christopher Robin finally gets them back to attending to the North Pole that Pooh discovered.

They stuck the pole in the ground, and Christopher Robin tied a message onto it,

North Pole
Discovered by Pooh
Pooh Found It.

Then they all went home again…

I love this story – and the reason that Peterson tells it. Putting my own language on Peterson’s observations: Christopher Robin is starring today in the role of a thorn!

The difficulties in our journeys… the things that cause us to go astray… the thorns that choke the ways of discipleship out of us are rarely unattractive. In fact they are usually very enticing. They are voices we want to hear.

The “thorns” in our lives are alluring for reasons of power, or comfort, or entertainment, or convenience… They are compelling because they may just come from the one who always has the right answers - like Christopher Robin. And we like easy answers – clear answers – comfortable answers.

But however helpful that pole may have been to Pooh in saving Roo, it simply is not the “North Pole”. And this story, like Jesus’ parable, reminds us to that we need to be careful of the voices we are listening to as we journey in discipleship. We need to take care that we are truly hearing Christ… and not simply someone else distracting us with messages we’d prefer to hear. We are thirsty for God – but are we drinking from the right wells?

“But as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and
riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

Are you taking regular and intentional time to quiet the many voices in
your life to hear Christ clearly?

Are you being careful that the communities and people you surround yourself with are not distracting you from following Jesus?

Is your journey nurturing fruitfulness and maturity?


God of the Harvest – help us to make our lives fertile soil for your word. Guide us in hearing your word. Grant us clarity to silence the voices that keep us from you. Amen.