Sowing In Faith, Reaping In Hope Series

Sowing in Faith, Reaping in Hope

Introduction:

It’s such a blessing to gather together and dive into God’s Word. Today, we’re going to explore what it means to live a life of faithful sowing. Our Christian walk often mirrors the rhythms of farming—planting seeds of faith, nurturing them through seasons, and waiting patiently for the harvest.

This morning, we’ll take a close look at a powerful passage from Ecclesiastes. The Bible often uses agricultural imagery to teach us about spiritual truths. Just like a farmer plants seeds and waits for a harvest, we plant spiritual seeds through prayer, good works, and faithful living.

Let’s read together from Ecclesiastes 11:6 (NLT):

"Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both."

This verse has so much wisdom for us to unpack. We’re going to explore four key lessons from this verse: the act of sowing, perseverance in labour, embracing uncertainty, and faithful stewardship. Each of these points will help us to grow in our understanding of what it means to live as people of faith—people who sow in faith, persevere in obedience, and trust God for the harvest.

Point 1: The Act of Sowing

Let’s start with the first part of our verse:

"Plant your seed in the morning..." (Ecclesiastes 11:6a, NLT).

This part of the verse focuses on the importance of beginning. The word "morning" here symbolises not just the start of a day but the start of an opportunity, the beginning of a journey of faith. The act of sowing represents our responsibility to act, to plant the seeds of faith in our lives and in the lives of others.

But what does it mean to sow seeds of faith? In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the sower, where He explained that the seed represents the message of the Kingdom of God. Each one of us has been entrusted with the seed of the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ. And as followers of Christ, we are called to share that Good News—to plant seeds in the lives of those around us.

Every time you pray for someone, encourage someone, or share a Bible verse, you’re planting a seed. Every step of faith you take in obedience to God is a seed being planted in the soil of your life. And just like a farmer doesn’t know exactly which seeds will grow, we don’t always know which seeds of faith will bear fruit.

Imagine a diligent farmer rising early in the morning, seeds in hand. He steps out into the field as the sun is just beginning to rise, and he starts to sow the seeds. Now, the farmer doesn’t know which of the seeds will sprout, how many will grow, or when the harvest will come. But he sows in faith, trusting that some will take root.

In the same way, we sow seeds of faith without always knowing the outcome. The morning of our spiritual life is the time of planting—whether it’s when we first come to faith, when we start a new venture for God, or when we decide to deepen our relationship with Him.

What seeds of faith are you planting in your life right now?

Are you investing in your relationship with God?

Are you planting seeds of love and encouragement in the lives of others?

It’s important to remember that the act of sowing is foundational to spiritual growth. You can’t expect a harvest if you haven’t planted any seeds!

Point 2: Perseverance in Labour

The verse continues:

"...and keep busy all afternoon..." (Ecclesiastes 11:6b, NLT).

This part of the verse speaks to the need for perseverance. It’s one thing to plant seeds, but it’s another thing entirely to tend to them, to nurture them, and to continue working when the results aren’t immediate.

The phrase "keep busy all afternoon" reminds us that the work doesn’t stop after the initial planting. Just as a farmer doesn’t abandon his fields after scattering the seed, we are called to stay diligent in our faith. This involves prayer, reading Scripture, and living out our faith day by day.

Galatians 6:9 (NLT) gives us a powerful reminder: "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

Perseverance in our spiritual walk is key. Sometimes we might feel discouraged when we don’t see immediate results from our prayers, our efforts, or our labour in the Lord. But this is when we need to press on the most, knowing that God sees our efforts, and in due season, the harvest will come.

Think again of the farmer. He sows the seeds in the morning, but that’s just the beginning. As the sun moves higher in the sky, the heat bears down, and the work becomes harder. The farmer must continue to water the crops, pull out weeds, and tend to the soil, even when he doesn’t see any immediate signs of growth. But he knows that perseverance is necessary if he wants to see a harvest.