The true sower of God sows His word. How vital it is that we sow the word of God and not our own little ideas. Our primary objective in our ‘mission field’ should be the preaching and teaching of God’s word, thus making disciples. Whether it be planting or watering, Scripture must be sown because it alone is ‘the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.’
Only God’s word is incorruptible. Only God’s word is ‘living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’. So, whether we are sowing, planting, watering, or listening to God’s word, we are engaged in words of life. Jesus often preached the word to all who came to Him, even quoting Scripture verbatim.
The purpose of pastoral ministry is to feed sheep1 so that God’s flock may minister wherever they live, work, go to school, or gather together. However, sowing the seed is only half of the picture. The condition of the soil of our heart is equally important. Israel was warned about their heart being like fallow ground. Fallow ground is that which has become hardened because of a lack of attention and watering, often neglected in the pursuit of other things. And how easy it is to get trapped amongst thorns! There are even respectable thorns, such as responsibility – not that we should be irresponsible; but, to be responsible at the expense of growing closer to Jesus is in reality irresponsibility.
‘Sow for yourselves righteousness’, said the prophet Hosea. Now is the time to seek the Lord and His strength. Nothing less than a wholehearted pursuit will do. But oh, the confidence, the peace, the joy that results from sowing in good soil! ‘Seek Me and live’, says the Lord.
May the Holy Spirit speak to each one of us about the condition of the soil of our heart, and may we each yield to the work of the Husbandman.
