Daily devotion – Just another Sunday, or is it?
Preparing the Heart to Hear
In the parable of the sower and the seed, Jesus tells us about four different kinds of hearers of the Word of God. In this teaching found in Gospel of Matthew 13:3–23, the Lord reveals that whenever God’s Word is proclaimed, it falls upon four different kinds of hearts.
As Sunday approaches this weekend, the 8th of March 2026, it is worth asking ourselves an honest question: Do we treat Sunday as just another ordinary day? Has gathering together under the teaching of God’s Word become routine—the same old, same old?
Meanwhile, the world around us continues to move toward increasing turmoil. Conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, with major nations becoming involved. These developments should awaken believers to the reality that we are living in what the Bible describes as the Last Days. Wars will not cease; in fact, Scripture tells us they will increase. Even Australia, once considered safely distant from such upheavals, is now closely connected to global events in ways previous generations never experienced.
In His explanation of the parable, Jesus describes four responses to the Word:
The wayside heart, where the Word is heard but quickly taken away.
The stony or hardened heart, where the Word is received with emotion but has no root.
The thorny heart, where the Word is choked by the cares, riches, and distractions of this world.
And finally, the good soil, the heart that hears the Word, understands it, and obeys it.
Out of the four, only one truly receives the Word in a way that produces lasting fruit.
As we gather under God’s Word this Sunday, we should each carefully consider the condition of our own hearts. In these Last Days, true followers of Christ should never approach Sunday worship casually. Time is short. Grace is available now. Obedience to God’s Word is for today, not tomorrow.
My prayer for all who love the Lord is that you would prepare your heart before you come. Arrive with expectancy, believing that God desires to speak directly to you through His Word. Come ready to listen, ready to receive, and ready to respond.
The world as we know it is heading toward profound change—religiously, politically, militarily, and economically. Scripture tells us that events will unfold on a scale humanity has never before experienced.
As Jesus said:
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:22)
So this Sunday, come with a hungry heart—a heart that is good soil. Come ready for the Lord to speak, and be prepared to respond in obedience.
Because the hour is late, the need is urgent, and God’s Word is still speaking to those who are willing to hear.