Seeds and Their Harvest
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Bob Hoekstra reminds us today of one of God’s “unpopular” promises: the certainty of sowing and reaping. Paul’s words in Galatians 6:7-8 declare that whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. In a world that resists accountability, this truth often goes unwelcomed. Yet God’s principle stands unshaken. Just as a farmer who plants corn will not reap wheat, so every spiritual seed we sow will bear a harvest of its kind.
Hoekstra warns that many deceive themselves into thinking they can sow to the flesh without facing the consequences. But to think this way is to mock God, who designed the order of sowing and reaping. When we sow seeds of the flesh, listed so vividly in Galatians 5:19-21, the harvest will always be corruption. For unbelievers, this results in condemnation and destruction. For believers, indulging the flesh leads to dryness, fruitlessness, and a lack of communion with the Lord.
Yet Hoekstra’s reflection does not end in warning, but in hope. Another kind of sowing is always available. The Spirit invites us to sow to Him, and those seeds reap everlasting life. This harvest is characterized not by destruction but by beauty: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are not fruits we strive to manufacture, but fruit borne as we depend upon the indwelling Spirit.
The encouragement is plain. Every day, in every word, deed, attitude, and relationship, we are planting seeds. The question is not whether we sow, but what kind of seeds we sow. Through the abiding life of Jesus in us, we may sow to the Spirit and rejoice in a harvest of life that glorifies God and refreshes others.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, do not be deceived. I am not mocked. Whatever is sown will bring forth its kind. When you sow to the flesh, the harvest is corruption. But when you yield to Me, sowing to the Spirit, the harvest is everlasting life.
I have placed My Spirit within you so that you no longer live in the futility of the flesh. The works of the flesh are evident, and they bring barrenness and sorrow. But the fruit of the Spirit is Mine to produce in you, as you abide in Jesus. You need not strive to create it, for fruit comes naturally from life. I am your life, and in Me, love, joy, and peace flow.
Each moment offers a field to sow into. What seems small today will bear fruit tomorrow. Sow with trust in Me, and your harvest will be rich with what endures. The corruption of the flesh leads only to emptiness, but the sowing of the Spirit brings a life that is full and eternal.
Scripture References: Galatians 6:7-8, Galatians 5:19-23, Romans 6:20-23, John 15:4-5, Ephesians 5:9, Philippians 1:11, Colossians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Hosea 10:12.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a simple backyard garden. If you scatter tomato seeds, you will not walk out weeks later to find cucumbers on the vine. The harvest always matches the seed. And if you scatter weeds instead of vegetables, you will reap a choking tangle that overtakes the soil. In the same way, what we plant in our daily choices always comes back in kind.
Today, when I am tempted to sow irritation or selfishness, I can instead pause and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this situation.” In that act of yielding, I sow to the Spirit, trusting Him to bring forth a harvest of love and peace where the flesh would only bring decay.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that Your principle of sowing and reaping is sure. You have set me free from the futility of sowing to the flesh, and You have given me the Spirit who produces life in me. I rejoice that as I abide in You, my daily sowing becomes fruitful, bearing what endures into eternity. I rest in the confidence that You are bringing forth in me a harvest of love, joy, and peace that glorifies Your name.