Sow to yourselves in righteousness, Reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; For it is time to seek Yahweh, Until He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 WEBI grew up on a farm and over the long cold winter, the ground of the fields would become so hard that water would just run off of it like it was rock. The rain would no longer penetrate the crust but just ran through the cracks in it. When spring came, we would have to plow it with a tractor, break it all up to get it ready to plant. We would then plant the seed, the rain would come, and later we would get a harvest. Each year we had to do this in order to see a harvest. Without work, there was no reward, and only weeds would be growing in the field.
Left alone, our hearts will become as hard as rock. Life happens, you add a little hurt here, another disappointment there, someone lies to you once again, and soon a bigger wall goes up to protect us. We can become cynical, and we add on another layer of protection. If the rain does come, it will run off still leaving us dry and bare because our hearts have grown hard and calloused from use, and abuse.
I had a rough upbringing and there was a time in my life when I could count everyone that I loved on one hand, and still have a couple of fingers left. No one hurt me anymore because they were already an enemy when I met them. I could shake their hand and smile, but have my other hand on my old Case pocket knife, just in case.
Yet God did not leave me like that. Though I had no interest in people, as I tried to grow closer to Jesus, He began to peel those layers off of me like an onion. Slowly He opened me up and eventually I could show love, and be loved, something that I had never known before I met Him. He loved me too much to leave me like I was.
In ancient Palestine, farming was a bit different than today. They scattered the seed first, then plowed it into the ground. Think of the parable that Jesus told of the sower in Matthew 13:3. You hear the word of God, then we plow it into our ground by doing it. He will then take care of everything else and provide the rain, the nutrients, and the sunshine to make it grow. Working together with Him, we bring forth a harvest.
God can heal a hardened heart if you will let Him, but we often hold Him at a distance as well. We don't really trust Him. We have to work with Him to advance. He gives us a word, we break up the ground by doing what He told us, then He provides the rain. We study, He reveals something new, we then try and live it, and there is a reward. The rain that comes from being in the Lord's presence and His word will soften our hearts over time, make it grow, and begin to heal.
It is not very pleasant when our ground is being broken up. Seek the Lord and His presence each day and do not let your heart become cold and hard. Talk to Him each day and cultivate a relationship. There can be no harvest until the ground is made ready, and there are many fields that have sat unchanged for decades.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please guide me and reveal the things that I need to change. Show me the next step clearly give me the grace to do whatever is needed. Help me break up the pieces of my life that have hardened, and send Your rain, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.Note: Good morning! The Creation Photographers fun theme for the week is "April Showers Bring Mud Puddles - and May Flowers", based on Luke 12:27-28! As always, you are free to post anything else that inspires you, too! ALSO, the latest Bible Study covering chapter five of Acts is now available! For links to these areas and more, please see the Announcements at the top of our home page here:
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Amen. Thank you Lord!
Amen!!
Amen! All of this takes time!
Amen Lord Jesus
Amen Lord, give me a broken and contrite heart.
Amen. Father, as I wait, bless me with your Grace. Thank you Lord.
Jesus please guide our lives for will and glory. Amen Thak you Paster for the daily devotionals.Very inspirational. Amen
Amen l need that this morning praise God
Thank you!
With God all things are possible. Find favor with me Lord. Guide my grandchildren and me. Amen.
Amen
Amen!
Amen
Heavenly Father, You know I need work to be as clean as You want. There are spaces in my life that needs to be worked and I need You now. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Amen. Wonderful lesson today. Lord make me more like You .
Thank you Pastor Dion. I really need this today. Just when I felt I was doing better then someone that is close to me intentionally hurts me again. Please Lord, I don't what my heart to be like that hard soil.
Thank you for this devotion! Lord please continue to keep peeling the layers of my past so I may grow more in your word and stay focus on how you meant me to be through the Holy spirit with your love and mercy.
Thank you Pastor.
Amen. Praise God! Thanks Pastor Todd! Heavenly Father, please guide me and reveal the things that I need to change. Show me the next step clearly give me the grace to do whatever is needed. Help me break up the pieces of my life that have hardened, and send Your rain, in the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Amen!
Beautiful devotional Pastor!
Thank you n God Bless!
Amen !
Amen!