In a very different context the Apostle Paul refers to the principle of sowing and reaping that he wrote about in II Corinthians 9. There it had to do with generous giving. Here in Galatians 6 it has to do with living a godly life. Same universal principle - different spiritual topic.
"God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
We know this, it is just good to be reminded, isn't it? We are not losing anything when we refuse to follow temptation into sin; when we refuse to sow "to please our sinful nature". Rather we are wisely choosing to sow right choices, right words, right thoughts to please the Spirit. And as we do that we are promised this sowing will reap eternal benefits.
Immediately in the context Galatians 6 passage, Paul challenges 1st century believers, and the Spirit challenges us: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 6:9
I knew a lot of farmers through my years living in Alberta. Some of them were able to get away, slow down and relax a little while the snow was on the ground. (As I learned, not the dairy farmers - their cows need to be milked every day despite season changes.)
But when Spring was coming, those farmers worked hard and long hours. They prayed for good weather so they could prepare the fields and sow the seed. No matter how tired they were, they never questioned the law of the harvest - no farmer would. What they would reap in the fall depended to a great degree on what they sowed. They had to do it.
Paul by the grace of God, encourages us. Don't stop sowing good seed: righteous living, acts of kindness, words of love - just because you are weary. Remember "we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Perhaps you know that in some parts of SE Asia, including the Mekong Delta here in Vietnam, it is possible to harvest three crops of rice in a year! Amazing fertility with constant warm weather!
However in many parts of the world harvest comes once a year in September and October. Those who failed to plant seed (some because of terribly wet rainy weather or even floods in the Spring) will suffer with a poor crop and a loss of income. This is the unavoidable law of the harvest. You reap what you sow.
Christians are encouraged to keep on keeping on. Keep on sowing because it is not your harvest time yet. Keep sowing those good deeds and acts of love: even if sometimes they are misunderstood; or you make a mistake; or you are ignored; or you are not thanked; or you are taken for granted; or you think you've taken your turn or done your share; or ----. The God of the harvest is watching - don't stop! You will reap a harvest from Him one day! It is inevitable. The law of the harvest.
"God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
We know this, it is just good to be reminded, isn't it? We are not losing anything when we refuse to follow temptation into sin; when we refuse to sow "to please our sinful nature". Rather we are wisely choosing to sow right choices, right words, right thoughts to please the Spirit. And as we do that we are promised this sowing will reap eternal benefits.
Immediately in the context Galatians 6 passage, Paul challenges 1st century believers, and the Spirit challenges us: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 6:9
I knew a lot of farmers through my years living in Alberta. Some of them were able to get away, slow down and relax a little while the snow was on the ground. (As I learned, not the dairy farmers - their cows need to be milked every day despite season changes.)
But when Spring was coming, those farmers worked hard and long hours. They prayed for good weather so they could prepare the fields and sow the seed. No matter how tired they were, they never questioned the law of the harvest - no farmer would. What they would reap in the fall depended to a great degree on what they sowed. They had to do it.
Paul by the grace of God, encourages us. Don't stop sowing good seed: righteous living, acts of kindness, words of love - just because you are weary. Remember "we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Perhaps you know that in some parts of SE Asia, including the Mekong Delta here in Vietnam, it is possible to harvest three crops of rice in a year! Amazing fertility with constant warm weather!
However in many parts of the world harvest comes once a year in September and October. Those who failed to plant seed (some because of terribly wet rainy weather or even floods in the Spring) will suffer with a poor crop and a loss of income. This is the unavoidable law of the harvest. You reap what you sow.
Christians are encouraged to keep on keeping on. Keep on sowing because it is not your harvest time yet. Keep sowing those good deeds and acts of love: even if sometimes they are misunderstood; or you make a mistake; or you are ignored; or you are not thanked; or you are taken for granted; or you think you've taken your turn or done your share; or ----. The God of the harvest is watching - don't stop! You will reap a harvest from Him one day! It is inevitable. The law of the harvest.
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