Jesus, Can You Pump Up the Volume?

Mark 4:1-20

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.
A very large crowd gathered around him 
so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.
And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.
And he taught them at length in parables, 
and in the course of his instruction he said to them, 
"Hear this! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, 
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. 
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it 
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."

And when he was alone, 
those present along with the Twelve 
questioned him about the parables.
He answered them, 
"The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.
But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that
they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven."

Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The sower sows the word.
These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once 
and takes away the word sown in them.
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, 
when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.
But they have no roots; they last only for a time.
Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, 
they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word, 
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, 
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, 
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."

I cannot tell you how many times I have read these lines. It is a classic story and today I ask, "What does this mean to me?" I am each of the four seeds described here on different days, actually, sometimes I can be each of the 4 types of seeds in one day. Some days are just better than others. But today  this jumps out at me...

Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?

I read plenty, and I go to church often, but do I really listen? Do I take the time to build a relationship with Jesus. I mean, each of my friends comes from a different walk of life and I have seen strangers meet some of my friends and come away with odd impressions of them because they don't know them. I have to admit that it's hard for me to understand Jesus sometimes because I don't spend enough time with him. When I spend time with God I begin to understand his ways and can see his point of view. Do I always like it? No, but that is usually because I haven't taken the time to understand him and what he is trying to say. 

Jesus, 

I am not perfect. You know that but I don't admit it to myself often enough. I want to know that I am imperfect so that I can see my short falls and become better for you, your church and me. I don't always hear what you are trying to say because I don't listen very well. Please teach me to listen better. I love you. I love your lessons. I want to learn and share so that there can be more peace and happiness in the world.  Thanks a bunch Jesus.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen