Morning Dew

 

Key Passage: Genesis 1;26-29

 

Key Text: Genesis 1:29 – “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food”.

 

There is a principle of biblical interpretation that has been practiced for years, known as the law of “first mentions”. This means wherever the bible first talks about a subject, you are likely to find the true sense of that word or subject. As we study the bible, we see that the word seed is first mentioned in Genesis 1:11-12 – And God said, Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth. And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So here we see that God has designed herbs to yield seeds and trees to bear fruits with seeds in them. Ordinarily, these may seem like nothing significant, but follow me and we should discover something quite interesting.

The second time we see the word seed in the bible, was in Genesis 1:29. Here God had just created man, given him the dominion mandate to subdue the earth and replenish the earth. Then God told man in verse 29 – Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.  In other words, God told man to see. See what? See the herbs with seeds and the trees with seed bearing fruit which He has given to man for food. I have always believed the bible is full of principles and God is consistent in His dealings with man. So here He gave man the key to dominion, which is take the seeds and replant them and from this you would replenish the earth. God designed that trees will produce fruit, these we eat, but the seed in the fruit is for sowing primarily. God gave man seeds.

God’s primary way of prospering people is through the principle of sowing and reaping. If you don’t sow, how can you expect to reap? God is not mocked. I feel we have missed a great point in the body of Christ. We have taught people to live by miracles, but I am convinced miracles are not God’s preferred way of provision. God expects us to be responsible and sow seeds from what He provides. I am not against miracles, in actual fact I love the miracles. But I have started to appreciate that God wants us to learn His ways not just know His acts. Most Christians, never invest. They never start businesses. They never plant anything. They say they are believing God for provision, when God has already placed seed in their hands, that if well planted will provide for them year in year out. Let’s be wise.

For many years, as I studies the scriptures, I became really fascinated with a line in Joshua 5:10-12 –  10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

And the manna ceased… I often wondered why the manna ceased when they got to the promised land. Manna was miraculous provision. Manna was supernatural, but the moment they hit the promised land, God stopped the manna and they began to eat from the produce of the land. They started sowing and reaping.

I am not suggesting we all go back to the farms and become farmers, but I am suggesting that we have to have the farming mindset. Especially as Christians, we need to learn how to sow seeds, invest, dig into God’s word and sow the seed into the soil of our hearts for a harvest. We need to see that God wants us to prosper and increase, but His preferred method is sowing and reaping.

I know that Pastors all over teach the principle of sowing and reaping from the offering perspective. This is not wrong, it is biblical to sow into God’s work and receive a harvest from God for the seeds sown. But I would like to say that this is only half the picture. We need to have something God can bless. We need to have some investment etc. I would share more on this later.

2 Corinthians 9:10 – He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. God supplies seed and He increases the harvest so we can sow more.

If you really want to increase God’s way, then start thinking about the seed you have in your hands and start sowing. Soon, you would have some trees, these trees will provide you with more seeds and the more seeds you plant, the more trees you grow, and whilst you are harvesting your seeds, there will be so much fruit for you to live off.

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, I am grateful that you have given us seeds to sow. Help me to recognise what is seed and what is fruit in my life and help me to actively learn the act of sowing and reaping. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.