Monday, February 2, 2015

Planting for the Harvest

Scripture Texts: Genesis 27; Genesis 29:21-25; Galatians 6:7-8

"You always harvest what you have planted." Galatians 6:7 In the Genesis passage we find Jacob up to what seems to be his normal, tricking his brother. First Jacob stole Esau's birthright, and now Jacob tricked his father Isaac so that he could have the blessing that belonged to Esau.

A few chapters later in the story we find Jacob is the one who is being tricked. He is harvesting exactly what he had sown in his life. In fact it isn't until much later in Jacob's life that he lives with the consequences of sowing the seeds of deception. A seven year wait for his bride becomes over 15 years, and until they are reunited, Jacob lives in fear of his brother Esau.

Fast forward to our lives and the principle is still true, what you harvest is a result of what you have planted. We are by no means master gardeners but we have tried our hand at growing several crops. It seems that the only plants that grow without intention are weeds. All the other plants of our garden require us to plant seeds or bulbs of particular varieties. When harvest time comes it is only those varieties that we find in the garden. We have to be intentional about the harvest we want all the way at the beginning, the planting.

This begs the question, what is being planted in your marriage? Are you simply waiting to see what grows without being intentional about what you are planting. In our experience more often than not this results in weeds. If we want a loving marriage, then we need to plant the seeds of love. If we want a marriage of mutual respect, yup, we have to plant seeds of mutual respect. The harvest of love and respect cannot come from the seeds of animosity and disrespect. We must always plant the seeds that are connected to the harvest we hope for.

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