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Sow righteousness for yourselves, 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 his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12
The tiny seed is an amazing thing. When we plant our gardens we cultivate the soil and make it as easy as possible for the plant to grow. But in nature, that isn’t the case. A tiny seed floats to the ground. It falls into the smallest of crevices in the rock. Soon tiny fingers of roots emerge from the seed and take root in the rock.
Over the years, in all sorts of weather, the roots from that tiny seed continue to grow harder and stronger. The rock is no match for the tenacity of the roots. Soon, after years of struggle, a tree grows out of the sheer cliff. No cultivation. No special tools. Success comes from persistent pushing against seemingly impossible odds.
It happens over and over again in nature. Life springs from the most unlikely places all because of one small seed dropped in an unlikely spot. Sometimes the wind carries it to its resting place. Other times it hitches a ride with some unsuspecting carrier to a spot perhaps miles from its origin.
Each of us has an opportunity to be seed carriers along the path we call life. Sometimes we have opportunities to throw out those seeds intentionally. Other times our ‘seeds’ may be quite by accident.
A seed of encouragement scattered in someone’s life may result in hope. A seed of forgiveness fosters peace. A seed of appreciation brings the fruit of joy. A seed of understanding can make relief bloom. The seed of patience grows confidence.
What seeds can you spread today? Cultivation isn’t required, only willingness. Expertise isn’t needed only love, because passion beats technique every time. When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he gave two and both were summed up in one word: love.
The seeds of love you spread will break the driest soil, the hardest rock, the soul that has all but given up on life. It may be something as simple as a smile or a ‘thank you’. It may be something as hard as saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I forgive you.’ Perhaps it will be something as compassionate as, ‘I don’t agree with you, but I understand and accept you.’
Sow love today in the lives of those you come in contact with. Don’t worry about whether you thing the soil is ready. Ours is not to cause growth. Ours is to plant seeds. Seeds of love. Seeds of forgiveness. Seeds of grace. The seeds of Christ’s love that you sow today may take time to sprout, but nothing can stop them from growing.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the love you continue to show me even when I’m hardened and rebellious. I pray that you would empower me to sow seeds of your love and forgiveness to everyone I come in contact with today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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
If you are a gardener of any sort you know the difference between unplowed and plowed ground. Try planting a tree in ground that hasn’t been broken up for years and you know how hard it is to penetrate the grass and roots and break up the soil that lay beneath them.
On the other hand, when you try to dig into soil that has been broken up with the plow or tiller you know how easy it is to plant. Plowed soil is easier to work, holds moisture better from the rain and is more able to take in nutrients. It’s no wonder that in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, Jesus says the richest soil, the soil that produces the most fruit, is the soil that is worked up, plowed, broken apart by the farmer. Soil that is broken up is prepared to bear fruit.
The Bible often compares our relationship with God to soil. Lives that are full of ‘emotional and spiritual’ baggage are unable to completely receive all that God has to offer us. It’s much like how hard rain on dry ground tends to run off and not penetrate the soil even though it is needed in order for the soil to produce fruit.
So, how can we make the ‘soil’ of our lives more productive for Jesus? When King David was ‘caught’ in his sin with Bathsheba he wrote about his journey back to God. In Psalm 51 he says, “Search me and know me…” Often we think of this as a prayer to make when we are on the ropes spiritually, but in reality it’s a prayer that each of should make every day.
It shouldn’t be a fearful or threatening thing to approach the Father and ask Him to reveal the ‘weeds and dead roots’ that keep us from taking in the spiritual nourishment He provides in our lives. It could be painful to some degree. Sometimes the things that keep us from experiencing all that God has for us are ‘good things’. We can fill our lives with family time, church activities, social action activities and godly friends. But if these things keep us from relationship building with Jesus, they can hinder our personal spiritual growth.
Sometimes sin, poor choices, doubt and worry can choke the redeeming forgiveness of God’s love and keep you from the peace He earnestly wants to give you. Forgiveness God’s way is complete, full and final. Don’t let the enemy drag you down by reminding you of past sins that have already been forgiven through the blood of Jesus!
On a daily basis ask God to evaluate the three major areas of your life, Love of God, Love of yourself and Love of others. These three areas must be in agreement with what your Father says about you in order for you to experience God’s blessing. Remember, while we think in the realm of the physical, God thinks in the eternal. What we think of blessing here on earth may not be what he is thinking.
PRAYER: Father God, I ask that you would give me the courage to allow you to take the plow to my life. Empower me with the wisdom and strength of your Spirit to look at my love for you, my love of myself and my love of others. If there are ‘weeds’ in my life that need pulling help me to let go easily so that You can fill me with the spiritual nourishment I need to bear fruit for you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 