It’s the way he’s sowing the seeds that grabs my attention, and makes me grab my camera.
So primitive. So ancient.
I watch, and shoot, and think of the parable (Mt 13:3-23)…
Some fell beside the way.
Some fell on stony ground.
Some fell among choking weeds.
And some fell onto, and into, good, receptive ground.
How can my soul bear fruit if my heart can’t readily receive God’s words? How can His words deep-root, if beneath its surface that heart is calloused hard or blocked with “fat” (Is 6:10 NIV [and fn], Is 6:10 ESV [fn])? How can any resulting growth survive if it falls amid choking thorns of fleshly desires and cares?
That man out there in the field takes but minutes to sow the small patch of reclaimed ground, where bad drainage had let water dig ditches and make ponding places, where tractor tires had to churn to get through, even in arid weather. Truly, just minutes for the sowing. And a few more for raking in the seed.
But how many days did he, and the farmer who seasonally hays the field, pour into ground-preparing! And with many-man-power machines. Ripping out brush, removing rocks, moving soil, leveling ground, plowing and discing and all. Day after full-long day.
I want to come closer, walk closer, with God. To do that I need to call on Him. Then, when He answers (which He will), I need to Listen. Truly listen. Listen to HEAR. Not just His words but His heart in His words. Not just to register His messages mentally or leap about with them emotionally, but to root them rich and deep within the me of me, to nurture and grow and produce an outcome worthy of the Sower. To have no noxious sinweeds rooted in, between me and Him.
It seems He’s done some plowing. Some digging up. Some yanking away.
I’ve felt the tearing out of huge rooted things I thought were good, but that now lie dying as heaped up refuse. I guess they were “thorns,” cares and worries and weeds of willful wishing after deceitful “wealth,” not necessarily the monetary kind.
I’ve felt the big yawning emptiness of holes that had looked well occupied by soil, but where rocks of personal hardness or potential stumbling stones had filled the space.
When I reconsider the concept of “I can’t but He can,” I realize His work on my will may be where my greatest need for Divine aid lies!
I chafe so sometimes under God’s cultivating action, not recognizing it for what it is. I fail to realize it’s for my blessing, that I desperately need it, for His planting in my life to prosper and grow glorious.
Lord, may I have a yielded heart, yielded to your soil preparation, that it might yield a crop worthy of Your love and grace and holiness.
“For those God foreknew He… conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (Rom 8:28-29).
*****
Linked to
Dear Sylvia,
Your prayer is my prayer
Lord, may I have a yielded heart, yielded to your soil preparation, that it might yield a crop worthy of Your love and grace and holiness.
It was good being with you in the early morning. Have a great day,
Dawn
Wow, Dawn, you got here fast! I was still finishing up some final edits when I saw your comment come in. We really are together in this early morning! (Sweet!)
And a great day to you, too!
Great metaphor. You have given me something to ponder today. Thanks
Something just grabbed me as I
read your wonderful lines
and saw the pics before me
…..something about the way he sowed the seed.
Yes, yes I need to be reminded
again and again
that all of this is about the One who sows the seed.
He is so faithful, the one who watches over the process.
It’s pretty peaceful
to be the soil:)
Thanks for the beautiful share,
Jennifer
I’ve been pondering this quite a lot the last couple days, too, Jean, in light of circumstances that feel like things being pulled away, and shuffled all ’round. Thank you for visiting and commenting. God bless.
Hi Jennifer,
I guess you mean He really does so much of the work, while we rest in Him. That is so true. He begins the work, and completes it, and our job is largely to yield to Him and the cultivating He does. Now you’ve got me pondering some more: Have I been yielded, or resisting? Glad you stopped by and commented. Blessings!
It’s a bit of a contradiction: I’m thankful that He prepares the ground–He does the hard work. But then again, it’s a painful process and there are times I just want to yell, “STOP” I need a break!
Thanks for linking up with WIP Wednesday!
Yeah, Mary Beth! Definitely me too! It’s a good thing He’s in charge instead of me. I fear I’d too often take the easy way, but he brings me the tough stuff I need, even though I usually don’t understand that I do till later!
Thanks again for your link-up. And for visiting and commenting. Many blessings to you!
Oh, it’s so easy to assume we’re the good soil, but there are so many things in our lives that have to be removed for the seed to grow! Thank you so much for sharing this! Such a beautiful metaphor!