God’s Provision – Sow to Grow Part Four
Mark demonstrates God’s provision for the Christian’s life, and reminds us that we need to learn patience.
Instant Gratification Contrasted With Patience
In the Book of Hosea we read,
… it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12
Our world is all about instant gratification, we expect our communication, food, and answers to our questions to be immediate. Businesses market their services as being “on demand,” no one has time to wait, and if a commerce cannot provide it quickly, they run the risk of a negative review. But some things in life are not instantaneous, and farming is an occupation that requires a lot of patience.
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. –
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
God rebuked Israel through the prophet Hosea for rejecting the Lord and He encourages them to turn back to Him. In Hosea chapter 10 God uses agricultural terms to reveal their sinful condition and in the later part of verse 12 He urges them to “seek the Lord.” God wanted them to live their lives dependent upon Him.
Farming Requires Action
“It is time;” every season of farming a field requires specific action; there is time to plow, sow seed, fertilize, harvest… as laborious as these stages may be, the hardest is waiting. A farmer can only do what he can do to the best of his ability to help a seed grow, but the miracle of a sprout to ripening is left in the Lord’s hands. From the time the seed is buried in soil till the time of fruit bearing, a farmer can fertilize, and remove weeds vigilantly but there is nothing he can do to help speed up the process. Inevitably he can only watch and wait.
Farming Requires Faith
Farming requires faith. Even if a seed is planted in the most favorable soil and environmental conditions, there is the risk that the seed might not grow. The farmer must surrender the outcome of all his efforts to a greater power. Faith is trusting in God to bring forth the yield as He wills.
When circumstances seem out of our control, we can tend to get impatient and anxious. There are times in life that situations may arise where we can do nothing; in these times, if we force a solution, matters may end up worse. Faith and instant gratification do not mix.
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous…
Psalm 27:14
God’s Provision For Us
In prayer we look to the Lord, acknowledge that He knows everything and what is best. He is our provider and giver of life.
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7,8
Only God controls the rain. God promised Israel, before they entered the promised land, that He would make sure their crops were well watered if they were obedient to His laws, and if not, He would withhold it.
If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the LORD your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat. But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the LORD and serve and worship other gods. If you do, the LORD’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the LORD is giving you.
Deuteronomy 11:13-17
God’s Provision of Righteousness
In Hosea’s prophecy, the Lord promised them He would rain righteousness on them if they turned from their wickedness and looked to Him. In the New Testament God gives a similar promise to those who “seek Him;”
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.…
Matthew 7:7,8
God wants to bless us. No matter how disobedient or sinful we are, God always opens the door of salvation and restoration for those who seek Him. What a great promise! Dependence upon God always brings blessing; if we are impatient and decide to do it our way in our timing, we are not giving God room to work His will in our lives.
The Believer and Patience
Patience is a much-needed character trait in the life of the believer. It is always best to wait upon the Lord and remember that His timing is not the same as ours. His vantage point is above us; all knowing, all seeing and all powerful – why would we ever think that we can do anything without Him?
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Isaiah 55:8,9
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Many farmers today buy “crop insurance,” to give financial ease in the case of crop failure. Our assurance with God is found in His promise; “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In life there will be times of drought, storms and loss, in these times we must keep seeking Him, in faith.
How far does this go? How dependent should we be on God?
Matthew 6:25-34 considers natures reliance upon God’s resources; it begins by saying,
..take no thought for your life.
Matthew 6:25-34
Tomorrow and God’s Provision
When it comes to food, drink and clothing, the necessities of life, these are not priority. Birds don’t farm, but God feeds them. Flowers can’t cloth themselves, but God supplies them more beautiful apparel than man can make. We get so caught up in the things we need that we lose sight of the only One we need. Trust in the Heavenly Father first and foremost and the things we need will be given. Tomorrow will look after itself, live in the day God has given. What challenging words of faith!
When we sow in the Lord, we will find waiting on Him is time well spent.
How have you seen God’s provision in your life? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Enjoy Part One of this series here.
Mark Hillis
Mark lives rural in Fenwick, Ontario with his wife Michelle and three boys.
He joined the FBH International team in February 2022, coming from the business world with a design and art background.
Mark is particularly interested in seeing people come to Christ and grow in their faith. He recently produced the series entitled: Sow to Grow.
Mark serves as an elder at Brockview Bible Chapel in St.Catharines , Ontario.
Visit Mark’s contributor’s page here.
More Podcasts to Enjoy:
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You Reap What you Sow So Sow To Grow
Jesus’ Trial – A Trial By Night
Images Courtesy of:
Corn Field – Skitterphoto
Farmer in Field – Pexels
Fields in Bali – sasint
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