“And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.”

Luke 8:15

In yesterday’s reflection, I continued to consider the Parable of the Sower, asking the question: How, according to Jesus, can we live fruitful lives? Focusing on Luke 8:15, we saw that productive living begins when we listen to God’s Word with open and receptive hearts, eager to live out what we hear.

In addition to good-hearted listening, Jesus adds a second characteristic of those who live fruitful lives: clinging to the Word. The Greek verb translated here as “cling” means “to hold fast” to something. It appears, for example, in Hebrew 10:23: “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” The Message wonderfully captures the sense of Jesus’ words in Luke 8:15: “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.”

We will live fruitful lives if we hear the Word with open hearts and if we seize it, holding on tightly to it. I am reminded of a time when my family and I hiked up Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Part of this trail ran along a frighteningly narrow ridge. If we were to slip and fall on either side of the ridge, we would plummet hundreds of feet to our death. But, thanks be to God, someone had installed a strong steel chain that ran the length of the ridge. As I carefully inched my way across it, I clung to that chain. It was my protection, my guarantee, my guide.

We cling to God’s Word by paying close attention to it, studying it, memorizing it, praying in, reflecting upon it, and obeying it. We cling to God’s Word by letting it guide our lives, even when the culture around us thinks we’re strange. We cling to God’s Word when we remain faithful even in times of deep discouragement or doubt.

If you want to live a full, productive, meaningful life, Jesus says to receive his Word with a ready heart and hold fast to its truth. And there is one more thing . . . which I will consider in tomorrow’s reflection.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How have you held fast to God’s Word in the past? How are you holding fast to God’s Word today? What tempts you to let go of the Word? What helps you to hold on fast?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for your Word, for the good news of the Gospel, for your truth embodied in Scripture.

Thank you, Lord, for the ways your Word has taught me, guided me, protected me, delivered me, encouraged me, empowered me, and given me hope.

Help me, I pray, to hold fast to your Word. Help me especially when I am stricken by doubt or discouragement. Help me to hang on to your truth even when it is counter-cultural, even when faithfulness to your Word means I am mocked or condemned.

May I hang onto your Word each day, because here I find the words of life. Amen.