Sowing and Reaping

March 23

We are told to ‘sow’ righteousness into our lives. Think about that a moment. It’s quite an amazing statement. When we sow a few tomato seeds, a significant number of tomato plants grow and a large harvest of fresh, ripe, juicy fruit graces our table. What, then was the prophet Hosea saying to us in the brief book he wrote?

His exact words are, “Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of unfailing love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes and rains down righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12). These are some impressive assertions that the prophet has made under the anointing of the Holy Spirit!

Analyzing them a bit, we can conclude a few things. First, we must take the initiative. God will not simply pour His righteousness over us and hope it sinks in. We are expected to recognize for ourselves that if we will plant the good things of God into our lives, we will reap an abundant crop of more good things. Before any crop can be planted, the soil must be prepared for the seed.

It must be broken up; it must be fertilized. So in our anticipation of reaping righteousness, we must recognize that our hearts must be prepared—humility, hunger for the Lord, abandoning our own will—these are things that enable the crop to flourish when the precious seed of Christ’s truth has been planted in our hearts. And in the sunshine of His power and the shower of His love they will come to fruition.