Breaking up the Fallow Ground...
“Break up your fallow ground,
And do not sow among thorns..." Jeremiah 4:3
Fallow ground, for those "city" folks that may not know much about farming or gardening, is ground that has been left untilled, unplowed or as the dictionary states, dormant or inactive. Such was the case of the little raised garden bed that my son and grandson built over the summer. The project was sincere and exciting, but between the summer heat, and the busy-ness of life, finishing the summer planting got put on the bottom of the list.
We started off with a bang; had a meeting with an expert home gardener (thanks Geannine) bought the suggested books, resources and materials. We even added extra protection against the moles, voles and groundhogs; but our energy seemed to fizzle as the season went on and the summer planting season was soon over.
Every time I would look out the back door to the garden with its one Blackberry bush that my son did manage to plant, I knew that I had to get out there, even though the planting season for the vegetables that we wanted to grow was over, I had to breathe some life into what seemed a failed project. But...before I could plant anything, I saw that the ground, that had sat for so long with no activity or use, had to be tilled and raked. The process was a tedious one, making sure the clumps were broken up, the dead leaves and debris were removed and making the soil pliable for planting took time and energy; but was so worth while after seeing the end results.
While "breaking up the fallow ground" I was reminded of what the prophet Jeremiah said to the nation of Israel. He was conveying a message from God to them that they could always return to Him (God) but they must first put away their abominations and sins. Sins that had become such a part of them that they must deeply search their hearts and repent.
Speaking personally, I have to take inventory time to time, because sometimes it is so easy to become "comfortable" doing and saying things that at one time you knew that it was not pleasing to God. That is when our lives... our hearts have developed "fallow ground." Those sins have been allowed to sit in our hearts for so long that we really have to ask the Holy Spirit to stir us up and search us so that we can become not only aware but repentant. It takes time but the clumps of stubbornness and willfulness must be broken up, the debris of sins must be removed so that God can plant newness in our hearts so that He can use us for His Glory.
Fallow ground is 1) Unused and 2) Un-usable. The ground becomes fallow because it has been unused , left in its state and if it remains that way, it is un-usable...useless. We can't let that happen to us. Submit to allow God's Holy Spirit to search our hearts and do the work so that we can have a fresh start for a new season of HIS planting into our lives!
Fallow ground, for those "city" folks that may not know much about farming or gardening, is ground that has been left untilled, unplowed or as the dictionary states, dormant or inactive. Such was the case of the little raised garden bed that my son and grandson built over the summer. The project was sincere and exciting, but between the summer heat, and the busy-ness of life, finishing the summer planting got put on the bottom of the list.
We started off with a bang; had a meeting with an expert home gardener (thanks Geannine) bought the suggested books, resources and materials. We even added extra protection against the moles, voles and groundhogs; but our energy seemed to fizzle as the season went on and the summer planting season was soon over.
Every time I would look out the back door to the garden with its one Blackberry bush that my son did manage to plant, I knew that I had to get out there, even though the planting season for the vegetables that we wanted to grow was over, I had to breathe some life into what seemed a failed project. But...before I could plant anything, I saw that the ground, that had sat for so long with no activity or use, had to be tilled and raked. The process was a tedious one, making sure the clumps were broken up, the dead leaves and debris were removed and making the soil pliable for planting took time and energy; but was so worth while after seeing the end results.
While "breaking up the fallow ground" I was reminded of what the prophet Jeremiah said to the nation of Israel. He was conveying a message from God to them that they could always return to Him (God) but they must first put away their abominations and sins. Sins that had become such a part of them that they must deeply search their hearts and repent.
Speaking personally, I have to take inventory time to time, because sometimes it is so easy to become "comfortable" doing and saying things that at one time you knew that it was not pleasing to God. That is when our lives... our hearts have developed "fallow ground." Those sins have been allowed to sit in our hearts for so long that we really have to ask the Holy Spirit to stir us up and search us so that we can become not only aware but repentant. It takes time but the clumps of stubbornness and willfulness must be broken up, the debris of sins must be removed so that God can plant newness in our hearts so that He can use us for His Glory.
Fallow ground is 1) Unused and 2) Un-usable. The ground becomes fallow because it has been unused , left in its state and if it remains that way, it is un-usable...useless. We can't let that happen to us. Submit to allow God's Holy Spirit to search our hearts and do the work so that we can have a fresh start for a new season of HIS planting into our lives!
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