“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that HE may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
My momma was raised on a farm. She learned from an early age how to grow things. Not only were mom’s thumbs green – every finger on both hands were shades of green! That ability and love for growing things was NOT a gene, skill, ability, or passion that was passed on to her eldest daughter (me).
One thing I did learn was the importance of preparing the soil for planting. Mom hoed, raked, broke up hard soil, pulled weeds, removed stones, and added fresh topsoil along with mixes of fertilizers and plant food to her many beds of flowers and plants around the outside of our home and around the yard – all to prepare the soil and ensure the healthy growth of strong and beautiful plants.
She planted seeds, seedlings, bulbs, split overgrown plants and replanted others to ensure maxim opportunity for optimum growth. As her plants grew, Mom zealously watered, fed, tackled weeds, and fought harmful insects protecting her precious crops. She kept her plant-babies entertained by talking and singing to them – much to our amusement.
Under her consistent and tender ministrations her gardens flourished. Family, friends, and neighbors all enjoyed the beauty and fragrance produced by her labors.
Throughout the Bible, the agrarian culture of the time is reflected in many of the narratives. Stories are often centered around times of planting and harvests, as well as times of famine, crop failure, insect invasions, drought, and land management.
In the Old Testament especially, God’s hand of blessing was seen in flourishing crops and bountiful harvests. While times of judgment and punishment were evidenced in withered, diseased crops and periods of drought and famine.
The health and prosperity (or lack thereof) of the land and its produce was often an analogy for the health and prosperity (or weakness and poverty) of God’s people (Israel) and the current state of their relationship with Jehovah GOD as we see in Hosea’s words.
The Old Testament prophet Hosea prophesied during a very troubled and trying time in the kingdom of Israel, not long before Israel was conquered, and its people exiled. Idolatry, including Baal worship, was on the rise. The rich elite were making life miserable for many with their land grabs and abusive treatment of the poor.
“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that HE may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
In Hosea 10:12, Hosea pleads with the people of Israel to “break up the fallow ground” that is to prepare their hearts for planting seeds of righteousness that GOD might return HIS favor to them and demonstrate HIS love by blessing them and their land. Otherwise, judgment is coming.
The following verse provides a little more insight to the condition of the heart of Israel at that time and the reason for Hosea’s prophetic words:
“You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people and all your fortresses shall be destroyed….” Hosea 10:13, 14
Israel was “plowing” wickedness, perverseness, and moral decay – the soil itself was no good – and as a result they were reaping what they had sowed: more wickedness, more perversity, more decay (moral and societal) and injustice. Israel was eating the fruit of its lies. They had rejected God, trusting themselves, their false gods, and the strength of their armies.
In the New Testament, Jesus used the familiar agricultural references but instead of referencing Israel as a people group, HE portrayed the personal relationship that GOD wants to have with the individual.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke relay in their Gospels the parable of The Sower told by Jesus told to the great crowds of people gathered by the Sea of Galilee to hear Him teach. (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)
In the parable the Sower (farmer) goes out to plant his seeds:
– Some seeds fell on the hardened walking path and were quickly snatched up by the birds and eaten.
– Other seeds fell on rocky ground with little soil to support the seedlings that quickly sprouted and died just as quickly in the heat of the sun because they had no roots.
– Some seeds fell among thorns and weeds which quickly choked out the seedlings.
– Still others fell into good soil where they flourished, growing strong and multiplying up to a hundred-fold.
Rather than focus on the seeds that died or struggled to sprout, let’s think on the seeds that flourished.
The quality of the soil was key to the quality of the plant’s growth. The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians:
“8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, ‘HE has distributed freely, HE has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ 10 HE who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-10
Do you want to flourish in your walk with Christ?
Do you want to be a fruitful Christian?
Do you want your “harvest of righteousness” to be abundant?
The secret – that’s not a secret at all – lies in the quality of your soil – the condition of your heart, because that is where God’s seeds of righteousness are planted.
My momma’s approach to growing a flourishing, fragrant, blossom-ladened garden offers a guideline for preparing and working the garden of our heart to receive God’s seeds of righteousness:
– Prepare the soil – break up the soil, pull the weeds, remove the stones.
“23Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 139:23, 24
– Add fresh topsoil along with mixes of fertilizers and plant food.
“When Your Words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, LORD God Almighty.” Jeremiah 15:16
“I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against YOU.” Psalm 119:16
– Plant seeds, seedlings, bulbs, split overgrown plants and replant others to ensure maxim opportunity for optimum growth.
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.” Luke 8:11
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18
“22 …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25
– Zealously water, feed, tackle the weeds, and fight off any attackers – protect your precious crops.
“6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9
Remember, it is GOD who gives the growth! (1 Corinthians 3:6)
“5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! 6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6