"Seed"

He stood up in his stirrups,

On the ridge to which he rode,

A-packin his old Bible,

Which said the seeds he’d sowed,

Would always make a harvest,

And he knew it was true,

He’d learned that grace would friend him,

And he would pass on through.

The task it lay before him,

To meet the boy she had,

He’d only lately learned that,

He was this boy’s Dad.

So he looked down the valley,

On the little ranch below,

He saw smoke from the chimney,

And thought he’d ride down slow.

That’s just how he did it,

Long-trotted down the hill,

Then reined in the buckskin,

Down to a walk, but still,

There was a fear inside him,

That argued with his faith,

He knew it was the harvest,

Of a long-past yesterday.

And now he sees there standin’,

A young man choppin’ wood,

And anyone could see that,

The resemblance was real good.

He stepped down from the saddle,

He shook the young man’s hand,

He said, son, you don’t know me,

But now I hope you can.

The woman, she lay dyin’,

The house was dark inside,

And only God remembered,

Her prayers and tears she cried.

She called out to her baby,

The boy and man came in,

And she quietly told him,

This is your Dad and kin.

And then her eyes were closing,

Her hand fell from his grip,

Into the arms of Jesus,

She made the simple trip.

And early the next morning,

They laid her body down,

Dug the grave together,

And led the ponies round.

A father and his offspring,

A son who found his Dad,

And now they ride together,

And both of them are glad.

He stood up in his stirrups,

On the ridge to which he rode,

And praised the Lord of heaven,

For the seed he once had sowed.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows…” (Galatians 6:7, NIV)

It is God who guarantees that whatever one plants creates a harvest. This means that what we choose is connected directly to the consequences of that choice. And God makes sure it’s always true. What, then, would be God’s answer to the reality that many of us have planted foolishly and are reaping a terrible harvest? God’s answer is to plant new seeds as He enables us. He forgives. He helps us to learn from our mistakes. And He empowers righteous choices that produce righteous harvest. It’s always true.

Lord, help us sow righteous seeds, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Herman Walker, hermanwalker.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Herman, and God bless you.