Sowing and Reaping

After our morning Bible study, my three youngest sons and I put up an electric fence around a two-acre tract for our miniature horses, then planted 200 tulip and daffodil bulbs. It was a special time of learning (We quickly learned about electricity currents–a shock is a lesson not soon forgotten).

We discussed sowing and reaping while planting bulbs. This is one of God’s basic truths to teach us about life. Just as we planted bulbs to see daffodils in the spring we plant God’s Word in our children’s hearts to reap a future harvest of fruit of the Spirit. God’s Word is alive, like a seed, full of unseen life.

Timely planting and on-going care (watering, weeding, pruning, etc.) will bring forth good fruit. There’s no quick fix for training children. If we neglect them now, we can’t expect positive results later. As I explained to my sons, we can’t expect daffodils if we don’t plant the bulbs.

A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Gal 6:7-8)

The more we sow, the more we reap. The more seed, the more fruit.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Cor 9:6)

Motivation Matters

Read the Bible daily to know God– not to fulfill a legalistic rule. In Hebrew, the word for “know,” yada, is about personal experience, not just intellectual knowledge. To “know” God is encountering his power directly. When God has first place in your heart, Bible study will be sought after and precious. Your children will “learn” your attitude as much as they hear the Words.

Remember, fruit doesn’t appear immediately. It takes time. There is no birth without travail, so there is no spiritual harvest without hard work and tillage. As a seed begins to grow, it will push up dirt, rocks, and other obstacles. God’s Word planted in our hearts and children’s heart will push obstacles out of the way and allow the Spirit to work.

Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop one hundred times as much as had been planted. (Luke 8:8)

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalms 126:5-6.

Sowing the Word allows us to let go of the sinful nature and allows Jesus to come into us through His Holy Spirit and begin a new life just as His Word promises.

The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels a plentiful harvest of new lives. (John 12:24)

Time in God’s Word will never return void. Start each school day sowing God’s Word to teach true wisdom and reap spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

Update on My Sister

Thank you for praying for my sister. Prayers sown have reaped health. She is now off the respirator! She has a ways to go but she is awake and being weaned off pain meds.