 |
| Google image. This reminds me of my daddy plowing corn and cotton fields. |
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Hosea 10:12 KJV
Hosea preached and prophesied to the Jewish nation and Israelites, in particular. Israel had grossly corrupted themselves with idolatry and many sins against God. Hosea warns them of the consequences of their sins and calls them to repentance.
In these words, we hear the eternal themes of sowing and reaping, and of repentance.
In the days of Jesus and the Apostles, repentance is a recurring part of the Gospel message. Indeed, John the Baptist came preaching repentance.
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:1,2).
Jesus began his earthly ministry preaching repentance.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is a hand (Matthew 4:17).
Repentance—a change of mind or purpose--is no less urgent today than it has ever been. What must be our response to this message?
Break up your fallow ground. The hardened barren ground of our hearts needs to be cleared of the thoughts and attitudes that prevent the good seeds of God’s Word from springing up in fruits of mercy. We need to turn away from sinful behaviors that reap chaos and learn to live according to the Lord’s ways.
It’s time to seek the LORD until he comes and rains righteousness upon you. Not some half-hearted, double-minded search, but one fueled by a sincere firmly held decision to search for God until He is found. As Christians, we must make our stand with the Lord and fulfill our calling to be the light of the world, showing the way to truth and love, peace and mercy. The public spirit and public life in general, art and entertainment, and institutions, even our churches, are under a corrupt cloud of darkness. The only realistic hope for ourselves and for stemming the evil tide is to seek the Lord while He may be found.
I leave you with this Scripture on the eternal law of reaping and sowing from Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Galatians 6: 7-8).
Sow in righteousness, and trust that you shall reap the fruits of mercy and life everlasting.
Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God (Psalm 146:5 ISV).
My granddaughter reading books
by my friend Kathleen Ruckman.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed day and please visit again.
