Sowing and Reaping: In Time

Intro:
Walk with me into a garden. Look around at some carrots, squash, tomatoes. There is a key to knowing God in this place. What goes in the ground comes up. Carrot seeds produce carrots. Really!

What goes in the ground comes up the same. The Bible calls this principle sowing and reaping. What you sow (plant) you will reap (comes up). Have you ever thought about the reaping part? You always reap in kind, you always reap later and you always reap more. Stop and think through that. Really, stop and think.

Knowing God is the same. We sow into our relationship with Him and we reap … RELATIONSHIP back …. in kind, later and more than we sowed. I trust you want a close relationship with God but beware it might take a little time … the seed planted dies and then grows over time … it comes up “later”.

Our microwave society doesn’t like to wait for anything no less a God we cannot see, touch or feel. But there is good news if we sow time with him and are patient we will see get a return greater than expected in time.

Read: Galatians 6:7-10
7 Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

Think:
Paul warns the Christians about the risk of being deceived? Apparently they were at rick of believing that God would not make them pay for thier sins ... oh and conversly that God would not give them a greater measure of Himself if they'd invest the time.

The risk in the equation is always time. We can grow impatient and desire God to act quickly. Some times He will move swiftly but most of the time he does not.

Two types of seeds are mentioned in v.8. What does this tell us about possible outcomes for my life? If I do not see the results of my choices today, what can I know for sure about the future? How can I be deceived in this (v.7)?

The newspaper is full of stories about people that appeared to have it all together on the outside until ……………… Can you think of any examples? David Letterman comes to mind this past week.

Do:
What one seed can you give over to God right now that is “corrupting” you? Take time and talk with Him about it. Confess any known seeds that do not please the Lord.

Make a commitment to continue planting seeds in God’s Word and prayer. Tell yourself not to get discouraged and give up. You will reap relationship with God in time. You will grow. God said so.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.