Sowing lessons

Mark 4:14
The sower sows the word.

Have you ever planted a garden? It’s tough work. First of all, you have to till up the ground. Second, you have to remove the stones and debris that could hinder growth. Third, you have to prepare the soil. Fourth, you have to plant the seeds. Fifth, you have to tend to the seeds by weeding, watering, and pruning. Finally, after a boat load of work, you get to pick the fruit and enjoy the harvest.

What if, however, you were just the seed thrower? Think about that for a minute. Imagine only having to worry about throwing the seeds out into the garden. That doesn’t sound too difficult! If that were the case, it would mean that someone else had done the prep work and it would also mean that someone else is going to do the follow up work, weeding, and harvest. Well, in God’s kingdom, we, Christians are only called to be seed throwers.

What that means is this: we don’t have to till the soil. We don’t have to remove the rocks and debris. We don’t have to lay out starter fertilizer and top soil. We don’t have to come back and weed and prune. We only have to sow the seed. The Bible tells us that God Himself is the gardener and Jesus is the vine (John 15:1). What that means is God cultivates the soil and works the garden that has been planted with seeds from the True Vine, Jesus.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1). If the sower sows the word, as Jesus said, then what should we be sowing? Certainly not the four principles for effective prayer, the three ways to have a healthy child, or the five ways to better love your spouse. No, what we should be sowing is Jesus.

The cross was God’s way of preparing the ground for us to sow Jesus. It was only through the cross that the Law, the stone that separated us from God by exposing our sinfulness, was fully removed and its power, cleverly wielded by the Devil, rendered void (Colossians 2:14-15)! It is by God’s grace that the seeds sown are able to take root in good ground. And, because we are only sowers, not farmers, it is God who will come after we have planted a good Word and tend His crop!

So, sow the Word, that is, Jesus Christ. Speak His blessings, His accomplishments, His healings, righteousnesses, and perfections into the soil prepared by God and allow God to grow and reap a thirty, sixty, or hundred fold harvest!