Wednesday / Break Up the Fallow Ground
Read Hosea 10:12 (NLT)
I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
Think
If you ask a random person on the street which they would prefer—an easy life or a hard one—most would answer an easy life. Isn’t that what we all want in the depths of our lazy hearts? A life of ease and comfort?
But that’s not what God wants for us, is it?
I am continually amazed at the fact that the better things are going in my life, the easier it is to disregard God. When things are going smoothly, no bumps in the road or gaping potholes to swallow my car, I relax my firm grip on God. I get careless with my God time. In the morning, instead of turning first to Bible reading and prayer, I jump from my bed and rush headlong into the day.
Since I seem to have few troubles, I forget that God is the Source of my life. I start to depend again on my own strength. And if I’m not careful, if I’m not paying attention, negative fruit can start popping up. As my heart goes fallow, the once fertile soil can become hard and compacted. All that grows are weeds; weeds like bitterness, anger, unbelief, disinterest, and fear.
When the seeds of God’s Word and Presence fall on the soil of my heart, they can’t take root. Even a small storm washes them away. Then things get worse for me. Hardness of heart causes me to become hardened to the needs of others. The fruit of my hard heart is deafness to cries for help and blindness to signs of need around me.
Ironically, the thing I sought-an easy life-has resulted in separation from God, my Source and Light. It’s true–the harder things are, the tighter I cling to God.
I need to be reminded; I need to be renewed. Over and over again the pattern runs: I pray and study and live in God’s Presence while life is hard. But gradually, things get easier and I fall away. Of course, then the hard times come again.
I can say that as I’ve grown in faith, the pattern is lessening. I’m getting better at rejoicing and being thankful through the hard parts and faithful through the easy things. I’m growing more consistent in living in God’s Presence whether life is going my way or not. It’s a long journey. I’m so glad I have company along the way.
Pray
Dear God of righteousness, come and shower your mercy and grace upon me. Soften the hard soil of my heart. Help me turn back to you. Forgive me for falling away. Comfort and guide me back to you, Lord, so that I can rejoice always, in everything I face. Amen.
Do
So, how do you break up the fallow ground? First, take a few moments alone to recognize what’s going on. See where you’ve been going your own way and putting God aside. Time to repent, really ask for forgiveness and a true change. Now go about your day but start to pay attention to the Presence of God in your life. Listen for God’s voice; watch for signs and reassurances and moments that sing of God’s love for you. Feed on God’s Word and watch for the good fruit to grow from your softened heart.
The View from Mt. Hope 