The Principle of Sowing and Reaping

UV 1308/10,000 The Principle of Sowing and Reaping
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy
Psalm 126 v 5
This principle seems to go against the grain of the axiom of life and spiritual process- “as you sow, so you reap”, for it says that if we sow in tears, we will reap in joy. At the time of sowing or the beginning of an enterprise, we face great travail and difficulties. But over time, the barriers will be removed and we would see good results. In contrast, if a person spends his time sleeping and lazing around at the time of sowing, he would be empty handed and pained at the time of harvest. If a person goes forth into a new enterprise with a lot of faith and prayer and does due diligence, he would be duly rewarded. It is quite akin to investing and waiting for the return on investment. To repent, mourn and to intercede for the souls of people would certainly lead to eventually celebrating with joy. It is also called “ liquid prayer”. We need to be compassionate and empathetic. We need to understand the value of their lives and their souls. Nehemiah wept for Jerusalem. The captives from Israel wept by the rivers of Babylon and they could not sing due to their sorrow. Our sorrow should be a “godly sorrow” not an emotional one or sorrow that leads to depression and death. The Lord values such tearful prayer on behalf of people. It will lead to great rejoicing in heaven as on earth.

Today, I rejoiced when I heard that one person’s life was changed when she read my second book, “For Better through Verse.” It led me to comfort another person in Australia whose wife had left him with an infant child to live in an adulterous relationship with another. He grieved over the loss of his relationship with his wife but he left it to the sovereign will of the Lord to win her back to Him first and then only back to her husband and child. Even in that situation, he had an attitude to pray for her and to praise God regularly. He was literally sowing in tears and ultimately sooner or later he would reap in joy. Indeed, blessed are those who mourn for the Lord shall comfort them. The point would come in our faith walk where we begin to thank God for that experience that brought us to tears for it taught us to walk closer with Him.

Sowing in tears is normally done for another person. It can be also done for a whole city or state or country. When we sow in tears, we are moving the Father’s heart. Things begin to happen in the spiritual realms. The Lord will orchestrate matters in such a way that the sowing will end in a rich harvest and great joy. Jesus compares the pain with that of a mother who is carrying. She experiences a lot of suffering and difficulties while undergoing her pregnancy. But when the child is born, she is filled with joy at the new creation in which she was a partner. Bearing a spiritual burden for oneself or others is indeed a lot like pregnancy. We need to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, continually focussed or obsessed with the matter and present it to the Lord with tears. The Lord will in His time turn our tears into laughter. To sow in tears it requires us to be greatly committed and involved. It implies earnest and fervent prayer. We should set aside times in our days and lives to pray with tears for the salvation and well being of people.
Prateep V Philip