Strengthened Hearts

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Galatians 6:9

In preparing to preach on this passage, it occurred to me how the concept of sowing and reaping has been hijacked by some to convey a distorted, unbiblical teaching:  we can get what we want if we do our part.  I have heard some preachers urge their hearers to make a vow or donate money motivated by paying off bills and becoming more wealthy and prosperous.  Such seem to forget that what is reaped is different than the seed.  Money given to a church or ministry is no guarantee of money multiplying, but when it is done by obedience to God will result in bearing the spiritual fruit God intends--something priceless that money cannot buy.

The passage found in Hosea 10:12 shows what we sow differs from what is reaped:  "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."  As children of God who have received God's word (which is compared to good seed in the Parable of the Sower), evidence that it has taken root in our hearts is that we believe it and seek to honour God by obedience to it.  We cannot say exactly how God will cause His word to be fruitful in our lives or in the lives of others, but we can know the living God who speaks is always at work to accomplish His good, refining and redemptive purposes.

Paul is not advocating a works-based relationship with God to earn passage to heaven or a kind of spiritual karma that gives us what we deserve or withholds what we have not rightly earned.  This would be a curse that would doom us all, for God's goodness His people receive is all by the riches of His grace.  Paul utilised the natural process of sowing and reaping to illustrate the very real consequences of sowing to the flesh or sowing to the Spirit.  Investing our efforts to satisfy sinful desires in our flesh will lead to ruin, whilst sowing to the Spirit by waiting on the LORD and obeying His word leads to abundant life in Christ.

It is wonderful to realise all we have to sow and whatever we reap is all by the grace of God and for His glory.  Sowing seed does not break the farmer's heart as if he is losing something precious because he looks toward the gain that will be enjoyed in the season of harvest.  If we treasure the LORD over what He has given us, we will be encouraged to present ourselves as living sacrifices to Him with all we have.  May our hearts join with the psalmist whose confidence was in the living God in Psalm 73:24-26:  "You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  When we consider God, all He has done and promised, combined with His presence within us, our hearts are strengthened to persevere until He calls us home.