Sow, Mama, Sow (part 2)

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, he will also reap.  For one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will also reap from the Spirit eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:7-9

"Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap steadfast love,
break up your fallow ground,
for it is time to seek the Lord, 
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you."
Hosea 10:12

A few weeks ago we looked at why we labor at sowing without losing heart.  Today we are going to examine what we are sowing.

The Bible makes it clear that you will reap the crop that you sew.  You cannot sow weeds and expect to reap tomatoes.  You cannot sow grass seed and expect beautiful flowers.  

In terms of our faith, we cannot sow towards our fleshly desires and expect to reap spiritual fruit.  In terms of our children, we cannot cultivate sin and expect them to love righteousness. 

To make it more practical, it will be hard to cultivate love for God if your first two activities of the day are to make coffee and check Facebook.  If you want to reap love for God, start your day by sowing prayerful dependence on Him and drinking deeply from His word.  In the same way, you cannot reap the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) if you are indulging the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and boastful pride of life (1 John 2:16).  

Think about what you are sowing in your children as well.  If you are generous towards your children you are cultivating generosity towards others in them as well.  If you are repentant of sin in front of your children, you are cultivating seeds of repentance in their own heart as well.  But if you are too lazy (or too soft) to discipline your children, you are sowing seeds of rebellion in their hearts, and the Bible would go so far as to say you hate your children (Proverbs 13:24).

Have you been sowing to the flesh and sin?  Of course you have.  I have been, too.  Repent, and turn to Jesus and ask him to change you; ask him him to empower you to sow to the Spirit.  He delights to answer such a prayer.