10/20/2022
By our fallen nature we are not born righteous, but as we look up towards the righteousness of God in Heaven, our faith begins to grow from the good ground He tends within us. The question becomes this, do we seek God and the righteousness that He provides us to be turned, both night and day, into the soil for our hearts, or are we satisfied with spreading our seed across the world and accepting whatever might struggle to rise up from the depleted soil left by our sinfulness? Which of these is our delight, and in which garden is the seed of our faith planted?
“Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.”
Psalm 85:11 ESV
This is the choice we must make. We can accept the sad ground as we have known it, and be satisfied with what little harvest we can eke from it, or we can join together with God, and using His Word, which is the spade He provides us, turn the compost of His righteousness into our fields, and reap a bountiful harvest of faith. This is our choice, so will we choose to sow our seed on ill-prepared soil…
“And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.”
Matthew 13:4-7 ESV
Or, will we turn our faces towards the sky, and by accepting his righteousness, which is like a rich fertilizer, will we turn what was once weak and shallow dirt into thick and fertile ground, from which our bounty of grain will grow by orders of magnitude.
“Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Matthew 13:8 ESV
God turned us out of the Garden of Eden, and now we are meant to work the ground from which we ourselves were once taken, but only by lifting our faces towards Heaven, and accepting God’s righteousness, will we have something worthwhile to till into the ground, and only in doing this can we improve the soil from which our faith will grow all manner of good things.
“therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.”
Genesis 3:23 ESV
Are we ready to till the righteousness of God into our hearts, minds, and souls?
“He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.”
Proverbs 28:19 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your goodness, and righteousness that enriches our lives. Thank you for your Word that is the spade with which we turn the soil of our lives. Thank you too Father for the seeds of faith that we plant in the fields we have prepared, and for the rain you send to water them. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God from whom all blessings come. Praised be your name for the deep rich soil you provide us, and for teaching us how to plant our seed where it grows best, and in a way that its bounty will serve you the most. Merciful are you Lord for the living water that falls like rain on our fields, and for washing us free of sin with the blood of your Son Jesus. Your grace abounds, and you are with us always. It is by your loving kindness that we are transformed from a tiny seed of faith into a life giving tree that produces food for your table of salvation. Call us worthy Lord, and seat us alongside the saints, and Jesus, at your table forevermore.
Rich Forbes