SOWING & REAPING

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." - Hosea 10:12

Tuesday will be Election Day here in the United States.  The future of our country hangs in the balance as Americans go to the polls.  This has been a controversial election filled with accusations, innuendos and corruption.  Most Americans are highly emotional with their political opinions.  With all of the talk about assault allegations, criminal investigations and personal verbal attacks, this has been the most vile, corrupt and disgusting Presidential election in our nation's history. 

The world around us sits amused and amazed at the events that have unfolded in our land.  I can't help but think that enemy countries are laughing with scorn at our foolishness.  Watching the Presidential campaign has been like watching a bad episode of Laurel and Hardy.  Neither of the leading candidates can shake the publicity of their bad behavior & decisions. It prompts me to ask this question:  How did our standards for leadership sink so low?

The fact is that we are reaping what we have sown.  In many ways, we, as Americans, are responsible for the trash that we see on the news.  We have sown to the wind and now we're reaping the whirlwind.  We've embraced sin, selfishness and compromise without thinking about the ultimate consequences.  The fact is that we deserve exactly what we're getting. 

The answer for our nation is not found in the ballot box.  If we want to reap a different kind of harvest, we need to start sowing different seed. 

Israel was a nation that had sunk to the lowest point of shame and dishonor.  When God spoke through Hosea the prophet, the Lord compared unfaithful Israel to a prostitute.  In Hosea 10:12, God told Israel, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."  God invited Israel to seek forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. 

Regardless of the outcome of our national election, America needs to repent.  As Americans, we need to quit pointing the finger of blame at others and accept responsibility for our own decisions and actions.  Instead of seeking to be politically correct or pleasing the crowd, it is time that we start sowing the right seed. 

The principle of sowing and reaping is described in both the Old and New Testaments.  It is a personal principle as well as a principle for a nation. 

Look again at Hosea 10:12 and note the stages of this principle:

1.  PREPARE

First of all, there is the preparation stage.  The Bible says, "Break up your fallow ground."  Before you can plant good seed, you need to plow the ground.  The plowing process includes stirring the ground, making it soft and ready for planting. 

The same is true for us as a nation.  We need to break up the fallow ground.  This is referred to as repentance.  As Americans, we tend to be hard-hearted, stiff-necked, independent people.  We celebrate such stubbornness.  However, the only things that grow in unbroken ground are weeds.  That is why we see such a rotten display of weeds in political circles.  The fact is that weeds are everywhere.  It is easy to spot sinful weeds during a political debate, but we fail to notice the weeds in our own lives. 

If we want to see a better harvest, we must sow the right seed, and this can only occur once the fallow ground is broken.  

2.  PLANT

Secondly, we need to plant the correct seed.  "Sow to yourselves in righteousness," was the challenge God gave to sinful Israel.  It is advice that America should take to heart also. 

These days, people are sowing seeds of politics, religion, finance, career and family.  In their right place, these things aren't necessarily bad.  The problem is that these are not the seeds we need to be planting.  We need to sow "in righteousness."  Even in "Christian" circles, righteousness is not a virtue that many desire.  Without righteousness, a nation will rot to death because of sin. 

On a personal level, sowing to righteousness stems from a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  When a man repents of sin and trusts Christ alone for salvation, God declares him righteous.  From the moment of conversion, the born again believer seeks to honor God with righteousness.  Jesus instructs us to, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).  So many sow the wrong seed, then pray for crop failure on judgment day. 

You must sow the right seed if you expect the right harvest.  You reap what you sow.

3.  PROCESS

Next, there is a process.  The Bible says, "It is time to seek the Lord."  When a farmer plants seed, he works hard to keep weeds away.  Furthermore, he tries to provide the necessary conditions for the seed to grow.  Spiritually, as we seek the Lord, the weeds of sin are continually dealt with as we repent and pray.  Nationally, God works in the hearts of people and moves them to publicly seek God in one accord.  When the body of Christ unites in prayer and purpose, widespread revival could break out! 

4.  PATIENCE

Next, there is patience.  A farmer must be patient as he waits for the harvest to come.  When we start trusting God for results instead of looking to politicians, our nation will begin to experience a tremendous turnaround. 

5.  PRODUCTION

Finally, a harvest comes.  Notice several things about the harvest God promised Israel if they would repent.  First of all, it was a harvest of mercy.  God told Israel that if they would sow in righteousness, they would, "reap in mercy."  Instead of getting the results they deserved, they received God's mercy.  Lately, my prayer has been, "Lord, have mercy on America."

Secondly, it was a harvest of God's divine grace.  God told Israel to keep seeking the Lord, "... till he comes."  That is the challenge for the American church.  Seek God until He comes.

Finally, it was a harvest of God's rich blessings.  When God comes, He will, "...rain righteousness upon you."  We need that kind of rain to fall upon the dry, crusting soil of America today.

I'm tired of this political season. I'm tired of the advertisements.  I'm tired of the verbal accusations.  I'm tired of the strife among Americans over the election.  I am bothered that most Christians I know on social media spend more time, emotion and energy on political issues rather than the Gospel. 

I would rather be part of the solution rather than contribute to the problem.  The answer is not found in the voting booth, but in the prayer closet.  Let's starting sowing in righteousness today.

We'll reap what we've sown.