Break up your fallow ground
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rain righteousness upon you, Hosea 10:12
Hello Friends. Have you ever heard the term, “Break up your fallow ground”? It is found in scripture in the book of Hosea chapter 10 verse 12 as stated, and also in Jeremiah 4:3. The people of Israel had fallen to this condition of hardness, unfruitfulness, because of their unrighteousness toward the Lord. The Lord speaks to the prophet Hosea letting him know their state and what they would need to do in order to change this condition they were in and begin to be fruitful again. Their sins had hardened them to the point where they were no longer prospering. God allowed their enemies to triumph over them as they allowed themselves to be influenced by idolatry and wickedness.
Friends, we can find ourselves in this same state as children of a holy God. We can allow sin to influence our lives to the point where we stray far from God’s righteousness. Sooner or later our hearts can become very hard toward God, and the things of God, which will only result in unfruitfulness in our lives. Sometimes we wonder why we are not prospering in the way we should, and blame God without recognizing that it is our own sin that has us in this state. God is kind and merciful, and always wants His children to flourish, but when we become hardened by sin like those Israelites became, we block the promises of God to fully come to fruition in our lives.
Friends, if we want the blessings of God to always flow toward us, we must understand that blessings come with conditions (eg; If we are willing and obedient, we will eat the good of the land. Isaiah 1:19, read). If we fail to follow God’s principles and knowingly walk in sin/unrighteousness, and disobedience, then how can we expect to receive all the blessings? It is so frustrating when you work so hard only to just survive and prosperity seems unreachable. Continuous, and unconfessed sins like lying, gossip, unkindness, unforgiveness, bitterness, malice, disobedience, idolatry, jealousy, and so many other sins can block us from being spiritually and financially prosperous. We can even cause sickness to overtake us when our hearts have become this hard.
What must we do to change this condition? Adhere to what God told the people of Israel to do. Break up your fallow/unploughed/hard ground. The ground represents your heart. Sin hardens the heart. When the ground/heart is hard, it is difficult for any fruit to grow. It will only grow thorns and weeds. Let your heart become conditioned with righteous deeds. Righteousness compels God to send the rain which will cause the seeds of righteousness you plant to grow and flourish. Do not allow sin to keep you from God’s best for you. Do not allow unrighteousness to block your fruitfulness. Seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness on you. Obey His word and experience all God has promised you.
WORDS OF WISDOM;
- If you want to receive, give.
- If you want love, give love.
- If you want peace, give peace.
- If you want kindness, be kind.
Peace and Love!
