Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12
You reap what you sow. Pretty much a universal truth, and an obvious one at that. At least it should be.
But somehow we like to fool ourselves into thinking that we can plant whatever kinds of seeds we want and still get a fruitful harvest. But that is delusional thinking.
We cannot live for ourselves and store up treasure in heaven at the same time.
We cannot sow seeds of rebellion (no matter how small!) and reap the rewards of righteousness. It just does not work that way.
This verse points out another crucial point to the sow/reap analogy. Yes, it is important what we sow, but it is also vitally important that the soil of our life be adequately prepared.
In my Life Application Bible it says this...
Hosea repeatedly uses illustrations about fields and crops. Here he envisions a plowed field, earth that is ready to receive seeds. It is no longer stony and hard; it has been carefully prepared, and it is available. Is your life ready for God to work in it? You can break up the unplowed ground of your heart by acknowledging your sins and receiving God's forgiveness and guidance. (emphasis mine)
Have you tried planting seeds on rocky soil (life full of unrepentant sin)? Or soil that's had all it's nutrients washed out of it (perhaps a life worn down by legalism without grace)? Or soil that's so loose nothing can take root (perhaps by mistaking freedom from sin as freedom to sin)? There are many soil conditions that can cause a huge drop in harvest production.
We need to prepare our hearts by:
reading the Word
studying the Word
memorizing the Word
prayer
focusing on God instead of ourselves
pursuing holiness
acknowledging, confessing and turning away from sin
accepting God's grace and forgiveness and forgiving ourselves
being sensitive to the Spirit's work within us
If we are diligent in preparing our hearts and lives in this way, the harvest that God will bring about in our lives will be beyond anything we could've imagined and He will say of us "Well done, good and faithful servant". All for His glory.
May it be said of us.
Tomorrow's passage: Hosea 12-14, Romans 16
1 comment:
Great post Tammy. I like what your Life Application Bible had to say. Is my life ready for God to work in? I have always thought of the soil analogy pertaining to new believers, but yes - it applies to me too! Thanks.
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