Sowing and Reaping

There are several Bible verses about sowing and reaping. Most everyone is familiar with the quote, “you reap what you sow.” That comes from Galatians 6:7. Often, and sadly to me, this is said with negative overtones. Someone is misbehaving, blatantly doing something they should not do, when another tells them pointedly, “you reap what you sow.”

Of course, it’s true. When we walk in misdeeds, we reap things that are unpleasant, but when we walk in ways that are honorable, we reap respect and good favor. In our spiritual worlds, we reap personal blessings that overflow onto others.

In last week’s blog I touched on the power of The Word, prayer and worship. These are spiritual tools that keep our enemy, Satan and his demonic influences, running. The use of these tools also helps us to maintain inner peace and joy even in the most dire or grievous of circumstances. It’s all about sowing and reaping.

When a farmer plants apples seeds, then of a certainty, trees bearing apples will grow. It takes time. It won’t happen overnight. The seeds must be watered and fertilized, making the soil rich and ready to produce. It’s no different spiritually speaking. What we reap in The Word, prayer, and worship, depends on the time we spend in watering and fertilizing the soil.

When we, not only read God’s Word, but meditate upon it, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth, then we become, as we are told in Psalm 1, like trees planted by a river, being watered and bringing forth good fruit. When we understand the depth of God’s truth found in His Word, we then reap in the discovery of truths for daily living. What joy to share those truths with others that they, too, may be blessed with The Word’s strength and guidance.

When we sow in prayer, coming before God to talk, and very important, to listen to Him, we then reap in the pleasure of God speaking into the depths of our hearts. We sense Him watering every hurting place, fertilizing our thirst for peace with a quiet satisfaction, as we come to realize, no matter what goes on in our outer world, inside, all is well with our souls.

When we sow in worship, coming before Him with attitudes of trust in Him, we reap in the ecstasy of knowing God Almighty has made a plan for each of our lives, unique to every one of us. His plans are always to give us hope and a future, as we are told in Jeremiah 29:11. When we have sowed in The Word and prayer, then sowing in worship becomes an exercise of will that produces joy that cannot be fully described, such is its richness.

We can sow in things that are opposite God’s plans. We will reap in things that are opposite His perfect joy. We can sow in things that are in keeping with God’s guidance. We will then reap in blessings that overflow from us onto others, also. We all sow and we all reap. God has given us freedom to choose. May we all sow in His perfect ways and reap in His rich blessings.