In this parable, we see that a sower goes out to sow and he scatters his seed on the path ways, on rocky places, still some on thorny ground, and eventually some on good soil. Interestingly if you ask an Indian farmer to do that, he will tell you how precious the seed is to him and that before he sows them to the ground, he will make sure that the field, in which he is to sow, is nicely ploughed and prepared to receive the seed. He knows how vital this is for the harvest, as he cannot waste any of the seed he has; which is either purchased or has been kept aside from the last harvest.
But it is interesting to note that the sower in the parable is not mindful of the condition of the soil nor is he afraid of losing his seed, since the NIV uses the word “scattering” in Matt 13:4. How true, our “God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons” Acts 10:34 (Amp).
The seed is the Word of God and He is the one who sows, and sows willingly on all soil without prejudice or discrimination. We are also called to do likewise and share the good news of the gospel of the kingdom freely (Matt 10:8) and without prejudice. The field is our heart and to be fruitful the seed has to fall on good ground, which can only become good after it is properly ploughed.
Ploughing is symbolic of prayer in scripture in Hosea 10:12 it says ”...break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.”
Again in 1 Kings 19:19 we see Elisha ploughing when he get his call “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.”
Ploughing is done to break the hardened soil. Similarly as we spend more and more time in God’s presence, he breaks the fallow ground of our hearts and prepares us to be used for the purpose for which he has originally chosen us. Psalms 51 tells us how important it is to walk in brokenness before God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Walking in brokenness does not mean walking in self pity or in poor self-image. However, as we learn to move into the Holy Spirit’s presence in prayer, the natural result will be a broken attitude that will allow God, to complete the divine work in our lives.
Prov 20:4 gives a warning “A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.” God has left the responsibility of ploughing on man as he stresses each time in the gospel to pray. We are living in exciting times and spending quality time in prayer is the need of the hour; for prayer changes and impacts situations as we see in James 5:17 “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
It is time to get the grounds of our hearts prepared for the greatest move of God in our lives.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Its time to Plough
By THOMAS MATHEW
From some time now the Holy Spirit has been laying a sense of urgency in my heart about prayer, and also making me aware how important prayer is in this season. In Matt 13:1-9 we see Jesus narrating the parable of the sower.
In this parable, we see that a sower goes out to sow and he scatters his seed on the path ways, on rocky places, still some on thorny ground, and eventually some on good soil. Interestingly if you ask an Indian farmer to do that, he will tell you how precious the seed is to him and that before he sows them to the ground, he will make sure that the field, in which he is to sow, is nicely ploughed and prepared to receive the seed. He knows how vital this is for the harvest, as he cannot waste any of the seed he has; which is either purchased or has been kept aside from the last harvest.
But it is interesting to note that the sower in the parable is not mindful of the condition of the soil nor is he afraid of losing his seed, since the NIV uses the word “scattering” in Matt 13:4. How true, our “God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons” Acts 10:34 (Amp).
The seed is the Word of God and He is the one who sows, and sows willingly on all soil without prejudice or discrimination. We are also called to do likewise and share the good news of the gospel of the kingdom freely (Matt 10:8) and without prejudice. The field is our heart and to be fruitful the seed has to fall on good ground, which can only become good after it is properly ploughed.
Ploughing is symbolic of prayer in scripture in Hosea 10:12 it says ”...break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.”
Again in 1 Kings 19:19 we see Elisha ploughing when he get his call “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.”
Ploughing is done to break the hardened soil. Similarly as we spend more and more time in God’s presence, he breaks the fallow ground of our hearts and prepares us to be used for the purpose for which he has originally chosen us. Psalms 51 tells us how important it is to walk in brokenness before God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Walking in brokenness does not mean walking in self pity or in poor self-image. However, as we learn to move into the Holy Spirit’s presence in prayer, the natural result will be a broken attitude that will allow God, to complete the divine work in our lives.
Prov 20:4 gives a warning “A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.” God has left the responsibility of ploughing on man as he stresses each time in the gospel to pray. We are living in exciting times and spending quality time in prayer is the need of the hour; for prayer changes and impacts situations as we see in James 5:17 “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
It is time to get the grounds of our hearts prepared for the greatest move of God in our lives.
In this parable, we see that a sower goes out to sow and he scatters his seed on the path ways, on rocky places, still some on thorny ground, and eventually some on good soil. Interestingly if you ask an Indian farmer to do that, he will tell you how precious the seed is to him and that before he sows them to the ground, he will make sure that the field, in which he is to sow, is nicely ploughed and prepared to receive the seed. He knows how vital this is for the harvest, as he cannot waste any of the seed he has; which is either purchased or has been kept aside from the last harvest.
But it is interesting to note that the sower in the parable is not mindful of the condition of the soil nor is he afraid of losing his seed, since the NIV uses the word “scattering” in Matt 13:4. How true, our “God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons” Acts 10:34 (Amp).
The seed is the Word of God and He is the one who sows, and sows willingly on all soil without prejudice or discrimination. We are also called to do likewise and share the good news of the gospel of the kingdom freely (Matt 10:8) and without prejudice. The field is our heart and to be fruitful the seed has to fall on good ground, which can only become good after it is properly ploughed.
Ploughing is symbolic of prayer in scripture in Hosea 10:12 it says ”...break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.”
Again in 1 Kings 19:19 we see Elisha ploughing when he get his call “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.”
Ploughing is done to break the hardened soil. Similarly as we spend more and more time in God’s presence, he breaks the fallow ground of our hearts and prepares us to be used for the purpose for which he has originally chosen us. Psalms 51 tells us how important it is to walk in brokenness before God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Walking in brokenness does not mean walking in self pity or in poor self-image. However, as we learn to move into the Holy Spirit’s presence in prayer, the natural result will be a broken attitude that will allow God, to complete the divine work in our lives.
Prov 20:4 gives a warning “A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.” God has left the responsibility of ploughing on man as he stresses each time in the gospel to pray. We are living in exciting times and spending quality time in prayer is the need of the hour; for prayer changes and impacts situations as we see in James 5:17 “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
It is time to get the grounds of our hearts prepared for the greatest move of God in our lives.
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