Isaiah 28: 23-29
"23 Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech. 24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually?Does he continually open and 25 When he has leveled its surface,does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer[a] as the border?26 For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him. 27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 28 Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever;[b] when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom."
Gardening is a skillful task that requires a knowledgeable capacity for many components. One must be knowledgeable about the seed to be planted. The preferred season for growth, harvest, germination timeframe and the list continue.
A skilled gardener knows when to plow the soil (Isaiah 28: 24). The plowing will break things up underground, bring some stuff to the surface, and push some surface nutrients deeper into the soil—a beneficial breakthrough. The naked eye will see the mess made and become doubtful .. the knowledgeable one will see the preparation. Plowing the soil allows the breaking of those tight places so that roots can grow. We often avoid the plowing of our sowing ground because it requires us to face some hidden things. Don’t get stuck in the turning of the soil. The process continues!
After the turning of the soil, the ground is level. The topsoil gets the water first, but it also is the most exposed. The Plowing step has allowed that exposed area to now shelter. Also, it will enable those hidden places to surface and receive first-hand nutrients. Allow your mind to transition. The farmer went through breaking things up to restore what appeared as a stable playing field. Then, he can sow seeds. Trust the process. We like to rush things. The idea crosses our minds, and we instantly want to see a result. We go sowing seeds without considering the season, the foundation, or harvesting time. The way you sow your seed is dependent on the composition of the seed itself. You cannot sow a seed of faith in a foundation of fear!
The farmer scattered the cumin while he planted the wheat in a row. The cumin appears to either be more independent or may need more space for growth. The grain may not need as much space. We must know what we are sowing before just dropping it off. Sometimes our seed is stunted because of where it has been sown. The cummin was beaten with a stick (Isaiah 28:27), and the bread flour must be ground (Isiah 28:28). The unnecessary pieces are worn away and destroyed to reveal the purpose.
Perspective:
We often focus on the seed that we neglect our identifying skills. You have been given seeds to sow, but you are also the seed. God is the knowledgeable gardener and the tiller of your ground. He has turned your foundation so that your hidden places have been revealed in the presence of healing. God composed you perfectly to sprout regardless of the conditions (The rose that grew from concrete). The seasons of slaying have been intentional for the revealing of your purpose.
We must take the conditions off of “God, I trust you.” We must take limitations off of Jesus. Take him out of the box you put him in. Pain does not default his presence. The enemy does not always lead your trials and tribulations. Identify yourself in Christ, and see why he stripped you of the world. Keep his track record in the front of your mind. Allow his track record to guide you when your faith gets shaky. Thank him every step of your journey. Allow your praise to become spiritual memory that will guide you even in unfamiliar territory.