Gal 6:7 “ Don’t be misled- you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant."

By April, the soil in the garden outside has thawed. Just like in the earthly garden, by this time, your heart has been softened by the preparation and planning during the last few months . Now is the time to sow some seeds. This month is a transition from inactive study and planning to the active phase of doing something useful- sow some seeds! It is God’s amazing way. It is time to act on the things the Holy Spirit has urged you to do in your heart. ( yes, do something in the real world!) There is a connection between the physical and spiritual world. ( God understands not me…) I could easily ignore this month of physical activity and content myself with learning more Christian theory or scripture, enjoy a cup of tea with an interesting book on Christianity…sounds good, right? But this is only a part of God’s way. As we gaze at Jesus’ life , we see He did not sit still. (Yes, He spent time alone with God and knew the written Word.) But He also went out into the world to get involved with real live people sowing God’s Word in both his teachings and deeds. He showed us how to honor God, His Father. He was the example –washing feet, feeding the hungry, helping all those God brought to Him as they believed His message. He reacted to everything and to everyone in a just, merciful manner as He humbly walked with His Father even to His death!

We, too, are to show our beliefs. We are to be the example. We are to put our belief in God’s Word into practice. As you read the scriptures, you will feel that the Words purpose something. Think about how the Word compels you to want to act and live – to do what you believe. Do you really believe that it good to be kind? Then do it. (The easy way is to be mean and selfish. The hard way is to remember your beliefs and to behave kindly and to consider others no matter what the circumstances since this is how we want others to act. ) How can we call Jesus our Lord and not do what He says? He says (Mat 5:19) “anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great…” These are words of action. It does not say –anyone who reads and thinks about my laws – (although that is implied as a first step ). The more difficult part ( the part that takes lots of energy and life) is the doing! The action is important. Think of it as your beliefs made visible and audible- able to be known to others. Sowing is incorporating your beliefs into your real life. It takes a huge effort for us to remember what we want to do and to do it. I l intend to behave one way in the morning and by 10 am I’ve completely forgotten it! ( God’s Way- otherwise how could we show Him that we are keeping Him first in our hearts and minds?) When you understand something in the scripture, make every attempt to bring it to life. Do what you know in your heart is right….The rewards, the harvest, comes after an action . The harvest comes because seeds were planted….

Luke 6:49 “But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Prov 31:16 “She goes to inspect a field and buys it. With her earnings she plants a vineyard.”

Sowing is a physical act.

The actions of speaking, writing or doing something is sowing. We have been given our body-our mouth, hands and feet for a purpose – plant something spiritual. The parable of the sower ( Mat 13:18 ) says that God’s words are seeds. Sowing seeds means putting into practice (speaking or doing something-) the spiritual things you have learned from God’s Word .

Eccl 11:4 “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”

Eccl 11:6 “ Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another- or maybe both”.

Find the joy of discovering God’s Way and Words really produce things with good fruit in this world. . If you never get off the couch and try it you may not find the joy and peace. God does not force you to obey His rules. While it may seem foolish to your ears to obey Jesus’ words–“Do not Judge Others” ( Mat 7:1- or use any other teaching of Jesus you want to follow) Try it for a day. Keep it in front of you always. ( in the case of not judging- No criticism of anyone, no finger pointing –just let everyone you meet off-the-hook. Do not take sides…. Forgive….Ignore your judgmental thoughts). You will find it difficult but also peaceful ( no anger or worry when you keep yourself from judging others- under God’s control!) You will find your personal judgments cause most of the unrest in your heart. And you will praise God’s Wisdom and Power as you understand the way you can control your thoughts with Him. How wonderful! Use Wisdom. Be Powerful. Keep trying to obey…practice, practice practice… How do you want to live? Trust in the Gardener for growing Truth , Peace and Love in your heart . Sow!

Search for good seeds to sow.

Hos 10:12 “Plant the good seeds of righteousness and you will harvest a crop of love”

Since we “ reap what we sow” ( Gal 6:7) . Be careful to choose good seeds to sow- things you want. What you sow is exactly what you will get at harvest time. If a gardener wants beets, he does not sow lettuce seeds…

A source of good seeds is scripture because it contains Wisdom ,Love, Justice, Truth and Goodness of God hidden in the words. Just like a plant seed which contains a hidden embryo , God’s Word , with time and the right care and conditions, will grow into a beautiful and useful plant – a garden of Love. So plant “seeds” of God’s Word. Say them. Write them. Do them.

Good seeds come from good plants. Good plants which thrive in your heart’s garden are plants which like the light ( kindness, honesty, helpfulness, etc. ) because they will give you good seeds. You have these plants in your heart from the scriptures you memorized or studied. Use their seeds to plant. Put the good seeds to work in your words and deeds.

It’s a joy to prepare kind, comforting , true and helpful words and stories to encourage others and to be able to use your seeds at the right time. It takes practice. God will help you do good. Doing good ( kind, forgiving words and deeds) is sowing good seeds. So, what do you want to reap? Sow it! This is God’s Way. Sow love to get love. Sow words of faith and hope instead of words of doubt and despair. Show others the Good that is now growing in your heart.

When you sow (speak) angry words ( seeds of a plant that grows well in the dark) , you are asking to receive angry words back from yourself and others. Where’s the peace? Where is the Joy? When you are patient with yourself or someone else, you are showing how you want to be treated. Try sowing kindness –(speaking a kind word, doing a kind action) and see what follows…. Sow meanness (speaking a critical word, an insulting action) and see what follows….try it (you will understand why you want to stick with seeds of the plants which like the light).

No good seeds to sow? You may not have many good seeds to sow if you have been only gathering weed seeds. Take time to gather good seeds before you sow. Spend time with the Bible filling your head with good thoughts and inspiration to do good things . You may be blessed with many good seeds already to sow . Thank God for these blessings. You cannot sow a seed you do not have. If you have never received a seed of love, how can you sow it? If you have never seen or heard peace, how can you make an answer of peace? Peace comes from seeds of peace. You must have received love and peace in your heart to sow them. If you have never read wise words or been given wise advice, how can you share or sow Wisdom? Seeds are wonderful gifts of God . He freely gives them to you. You have to read and think- so the cost is your own time and effort- your life. But they are free treasures from Him in His Word.

Ask God to bring you good seeds and look for them, expect them. Let Him give you seeds of love. Take from Him His seeds of love by believing He loves you. We sow like God sows- in faith. Only after you have received from Him ( by believing in His Love) will you have the good seeds to sow to others. It may take years to receive His love if you do not believe it….keep listening to His voice in His Word – what does He say to your heart? God rewards persistence. He wants you to believe in His love. Take His good seeds of love for your hearts garden….believe.

Try not to sow bad seeds.

Prov 22:8 “Those who plant injustice will harvest terror and their reign of terror will come to an end.

Many weed seeds are not intentionally sown. We do not buy dandelion seeds, we do not have to. They are everywhere. They will seed themselves and that’s part of God’s way. We try not to intentionally plant dark, useless seeds. But these seeds of Darkness will come.

Now and then weeds slip out of our mouth ( mean, harmful words and actions) . Turn from evil. (Do not beat yourself up, just turn….) and go back to a loving intention ( seeds of the light) and God will see the intention of your heart ( we all mess up!) This is a continuous process- turning from my weeds and planting beautiful plants with God’s help. It is certainly against my selfish will many times to react in loving , wise ways but it is God’s will for us to do this , to Love.

We try not to say or to do hurtful things which plants weeds or dark thoughts in our own hearts or the hearts of others. Dark thoughts come and we must let God put them into the compost pile. (Throw them away, forget evil thoughts - they are useless . ) God puts weed seeds into the compost pile as soon as we realize our mistake in saying or doing something which is not really what we wanted to say or do. He does this to keep the weeds away from His garden of Love – and all those seedlings from the good seeds.. The ways of His garden are written in your heart by God- they are His Ways and He will show you the Way as you follow His lead.

You can get seeds ( good ones and weed seeds ) from others. BEWARE. People’s words are not to be trusted as much as the Bible’s Word (- you know how changeable we are…). Some people or books or media may be planting ( in you !) lots of weed seeds –words and actions which are dark and harmful. Be careful! Watch for them. Let God throw them into the compost pile. If there is any good in them He will let you know….( Fear may be helpful if there is a present real fire or anger may alert you to an injustice. Turn from evil (throw it from your heart,) and do good (react in a loving, helpful and honest way).

There are a lot of weed seeds around . They seem to be in the wind. There are a lot of good seeds also and they take a lot of time and energy to find! Collect them. The good seeds are worth the effort. True treasures!

A few ways to sow.

Start small. A beginner gardener cannot make a huge perennial garden the first year. A gardener starts with learning to grow a few types of plants,( like kindness or patience). Trying to sow Peace, Love or Faith is too much for me to get my mind around . I cannot comprehend the whole garden. The whole garden is God’s to garden. Start with a small part of one of these more elaborate gardens. Knowing that those gardens are what you want and keeping the whole in mind, give yourself a few good seeds to plant with God. ( You know the few things you want to start trying to do.) Just begin.

Start each day with a prayer - sowing something good. Listen to the words which come out of your own mouth. These words tell you what is in your own heart. Be careful what seeds you are sowing. Be careful what you are telling yourself. During the day -set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes and when it rings, discover for yourself what you are thinking about….something good? Peaceful? Kind? Or dark? Sow good thoughts throughout the day to yourself. Use the words you prepared last month to meditate on.

The first year I tried to deliberately sow, I tried attending a church. ( notice the action involved) I had no idea what God might bring. I kept a distance and listened . ( I found this wisdom in Eccl 5:1) -- Use the Bible’s Wisdom – Sow with good intentions - based on what the scripture says in your heart – and see what it brings. Avoid doing things with the intention of bringing glory to yourself (“ Oh, how good I am to go to church”…or “this will please my neighbors”…..) Add a good activity (like going to church or volunteering) for His glory (to worship God or to show Him He rules your heart with your actions) . You can always stop any activity and go back to the way things were and try something else . If what you are reaping from the sowing seems not to be in accordance with His Word, you may be reaping weeds, try sowing something or somewhere else. Do not get trapped into pleasing people ( that includes yourself)- just God. Seek peace and love. (These really do exist. – How joyful!) Avoid dissention and hate. (These weeds also exist –How sad!!)

Anything new- like sowing on purpose takes courage. ( Courage is a plant you just take . It has no roots it’s like moss. Just pull it up and take it. God gives it freely from his Tree of Faith in your garden. When you believe in your heart that Truth is with you, the courage to act will come. Take it. Put it in your garden. It transplants from other people’s garden easily. Talk to others who have wise encouraging words. Take courage and it will grow in your heart)

Spiritual sowing is a physical act done with a deliberate intention, a belief. - placing seeds (words, thoughts or actions) into the soil ( your heart or the hearts of others). When you smile , with the intention of sending love and acceptance, you are sowing good seeds. If you smile with a bad intention ( with contempt or jealousy in your heart) God sees and you are sowing bad weed seeds –not because of the smile but because of the intention behind the smile. It is the intention of your heart which makes the act pleasing in God’s sight –He sees the heart . As you give your heart to God to garden, He will help you keep your heart, your intentions, pure.

Other insights about sowing from the Bible-

Jer 4:3 “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts. Do not waste your good seed among the thorns……surrender your pride and power and change your hearts before the Lord.”

Be careful where you sow. Give your good seeds to good soil (people) not to the soil with thorns. Your good seeds will be appreciated and will be able to grow. If your heart or another person’s heart is full of worry and anger and angst, the good seeds cannot grow easily and will be wasted. This is why we spent time preparing the soil of our own heart to prepare the way for good seeds. You cannot change another person’s heart. God gardens the heart. He will help you to discern the soil…He gives you clues… Watch for His help.

Read and apply the parable of the Sower (Mat 13:18)

2 Cor 9:6 “ Remember this- a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must decide in your heart how much to give.”

Keep sowing your good actions even if it seems not much is happening. Be persistent . Be on the lookout. Sometimes a completely new, beautiful plant- different from the one you intended- begins to grow ( God’s gardening, not ours, which prevails).

Ps 126:5 “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy”.

Sowing is hard, sometimes painful work - but worth your while if you want to harvest!

We may sow but it is God who grows.

Gen 2:8 “Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east and there he placed the man he had made.”

In the sowing, in the action, faith in God is shown. There is a belief by the farmer that the seed ( which does not look like a plant) will sprout and grow into a plant. The farmer believes it because he has seen it work before. When we sow our seeds of Goodness and Love, our actions show we believe God will work. The farmer does not know exactly why and how the seed of corn becomes a plant with leaves , roots and fruit but since he has seen it work before, he believes. In the same way, as you sow and see your seeds grow and fruit, you will have more and more faith in God’s amazing Ways. The farmer knows he has to do something- place a seed, the embryo, in the soil. (If the seeds sit in the barn and are not sown, they cannot sprout into the plant the farmer chooses .) This is the same way with gardening your heart. For God to grow the good seed, you must sow it – take it out of your heart and plant it in your own heart or the heart of others. You will see for yourself by taking action and saying or doing something good ( in the real world) God’s Words, the seeds, grow . They grow in your heart and the heart of others if planted in good soil and nurtured along. They can grow into beautiful and useful plants. One day, you will see the “sprout” or seedling and be amazed – just as the farmer is amazed at the miracle of each new seedling. You will see the beginning of patience, of compassion, of courage , of honesty (whatever you sowed) in your heart. Let God garden His garden of love in your heart. Do something good in honor of Him.

Sowing isn’t immediately followed by harvest. There are months between the planting and the harvesting of a field. All is God’s timing,(it is not humans whose plans and decisions come to pass). A seed will eventually sprout as God pleases and the plant will need to be fed, watered, protected , weeded and pruned according to God’s way . Lots of activity is ahead this year during the coming season of growth. Be patient. Keep sowing all this month. There is a wonderful cycle in this world – a time for everything. Rest will come next month after the seeds have been sown. In God’s wonderful way, when you plant a good seed, like corn ( or truthfulness), it will grow to give back the same thing -corn ( or truthfulness) many times more than the one kernel ( or spoken word) . Many ears of corn, hundreds of kernels, come back to you ! Plenty for you to eat, to share with others and to store for the planting next year or to make into relish to store for years to come. What joy! Make sure you are planting things you want to reap. (If you do not like eggplant, do not sow eggplant even though it may be a good plant for your neighbor to grow. Leave that between your neighbor and God.) Sow your unique heart’s desire with God’s help . Trust God as the Gardener in your heart because God -

• Protects you from false human views with His Truth,
• saves you from condemning yourself and others by His Love,
• guides you with His Wisdom as He trains your human heart with His Word and
• rewards you with His Peace and Joy living with you –He’s alive in your human heart!

What else could you want??? ( I’m sure ,being human, these are only the things from my limited viewpoint. You will find more treasures than these as you let God live in your heart…)

GET UP! Walk humbly with Your God…

Isa 55:10 “ The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my Word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all that I want it to , and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace.

Final thought-

When you obey God and react with loving words and actions (sowing good) , you are sowing love (especially wonderful when your actions go against your own will and you really feel like reacting in a hurtful, angry or fearful manner). Think of your loving actions as a gift from you to God- what else can you give Him since all is His? He has given you life and you can give Him the intention of your heart to do what’s right by loving Him. Show Him by your actions. He rewards with Peace, Love and Joy….the true desire of your heart- Himself!