Life Processing:KN-SS-DD-MW

UV 1445/10,000 Life Processing:KN,SS,DD,MW
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Ecclesiastes 11 v 6

We need to sow a seed to meet a need. The process that operates in human life is: know the need, sow the seed, do the deed, mow the weed. In code language, it is KN,SS,DD,MW. The problem predicts the solution. Depending on what our need is at any point in time, we should sow a seed in that area of need. A decision and a determination, a goal and a plan are examples of such seed. Faith, love and hope like money does not grow on trees but it does grow like a tree: first sow a seed, water it, nurture it, love it, care for it, fence it, uproot the weeds, prepare for harvest, enjoy it, consume it to meet your need, share it to meet another’s need. When we pray with a promise of the Lord, we are sowing a seed in the very heart of God. He will help us nurture and grow that seed. He will cause it to prosper. A lot of things in our circumstances are beyond our control- the weather, the rain, the extent of sunshine, the pests. But faith equips us to be proactive in managing our lives. Hope for good weather but plan for bad weather. Take measures to remove the weeds and to keep the pests away. Develop good perimeter fencing to keep the little foxes out. Resort to fencing prayer. Dig the stakes of God’s promises deep into our hearts, minds, spirits and souls. Indeed, prayer is of different types: protective prayer, persistent prayer, defensive prayer, prayer in the thick of battle, fervent prayer, sowing prayer, growing prayer, harvesting prayer.

We have needs in the area of our health, finances, children, future, family, friends, relationships, our vision and mission in life, our walk with God. To sow something as tiny as a seed when our need is yawning and huge is an act of faith. It requires a vision to see that seed growing through many days and weeks, months and years to yield that which can satisfy our need. It requires the patience of a farmer. After sowing the seed, we need to do the deeds that are required for watering, caring, fencing and de-weeding. De-weeding and pruning are the processes of subjecting ourselves and our work to the discipline of the Lord, to introspect and change for the better.

In order to sow, one needs to save from our existing stock of grain. As investment advisers now tell us, we must not consume and then save what is left but first save and then consume the rest. The uni-verse contains a piece of sound and pragmatic financial wisdom: sowing in the morning is our major source of income. But we must also plan a second source of revenue. Sowing is associated in scripture with tears, growing with sweat and reaping with laughter and joy. We need to sow abundantly, generously and unstintingly. We need to de-weed firmly and carefully so as not to pull out the good ones along with the tares. We need to sow when the sun is up or when the circumstances are favourable as well as when the sun is down-when the circumstances are not exactly favourable. We need to sow in righteousness and we will reap in blessing. If we sow in the spirit by prayer, studying the Word and applying it, we will reap in the spirit. If we sow in the flesh by pleasing our own whims and desires, we reap in the flesh. The Lord delights in multiplying our seed and increasing the fruit of righteousness in our lives. The end result of our lives are not known to us. Trust God for the end result – whether we are successful from His perspective or not. Just as a mango tree cannot gloat on its fruit harvest in a particular year or be depressed in another at the sparseness, it is not for us to decide whether we have been successful or not. Leave it to the landlord or rather, soul-Lord who knows the kind and cost of inputs He gave as well as the output or outcome He expected.

Prateep V Philip