This morning I read Galatians chapter six, verse eight in particular jumped out at me, “For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

I began to think about the implication of that verse and asked “What am I sowing into?” We often think of “the flesh” in terms of sensuality or maybe materialism, which is certainly applicable here, but what about anything we do “in the flesh”?

Jesus said in Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” What does our life say about our treasures? Where are we investing our time and our energy? Is it in fleeting pleasures? is it in stuff? Status? Power? Or perhaps we’re spending so much time and energy serving our ministry that we have lost sight of the very reason we began ministering in the first place.

When we serve in our own strength our efforts are limited by stamina and ability, but when we allow God to flow through us then we are strong. I believe that’s why we’re told in scripture that God is glorified in our weakness (2 Chorinthians 12:9). I have seen this in my own life, the times when I didn’t feel I had anything to give were among the most effective times of ministry (service). When I had exhausted my energy, God was just getting started.

Life, as in gardening, requires not only seed to be sown, but the ground to be prepared prior to the scattering of seed. Earning the trust of our children by being a father worthy of respect, modeling respect to our children by respecting wives respecting your husbands and husbands loving your wives are necessary to having a healthy home. This is just one example of many applications I could give for the importance of preparing the soil of our life.

When we serve, we are not only sowing into, but we are continually cultivating the soil, fertilizing the ground, pulling the weeds and pruning the crop.