God called the Israelites to return to him. They had been faithless, yet God promised them shepherds who would look after them and love them as God loved them. God's mercy was limitless.

Despite their faithlessness, God was willing to look after his people and to bring them to Jerusalem, where they would no longer follow their evil ways. God was merciful to the Israelites, and God is merciful to us as well. All that God desires is that we follow God's ways for God loves us and desires the best for us.

Jesus explained the parable of the sower, which concerned the growth of the kingdom of God. Just as seeds fell in various places, people received the word of God differently.

Some heard the word but didn't understand so the evil one snatched it away; others heard with joy but were not rooted, so they fell away when trouble came; for some the cares of the world or desire for wealth choked the word, but some heard and understood and bore fruit.

Jesus desires that we would all understand God's love for us and would share this love with others.