The men in our picture are working very hard. They have six strong oxen to pull the plough, although today, most farmers would use horses or tractors for this work. Soon the whole field will be covered with rough, brown earth instead of green grass or flowers. If you are a little child in the city, perhaps you are wondering why the men and the oxen are working so hard to turn all the and upside down.
If we asked one of the men, he would he quite ready to tell us that he is going to sow good seed in that field, so that when reaping time comes, he will have wheat to grind into flour, to make bread for Mother and the little ones at home.
Now children, the Lord Jesus said that the Word of God is like good seed, and it is only when we believe it in our hearts that God gives us a new life, by which we can please God and bear fruit for Him.
But we have more questions to ask our farmer friend. “There are little green plants in the field already, and why do you turn them all upside down?”
“They are only weeds,” he says, “and though some of them are ugly and some are pretty, they are of no use when reaping time comes.” They are like the things we do and say before we are saved. They spring from the old sinful nature, and God can only accept what comes from the new life He gives. God looks down very sadly, and says that all that the old nature does is just like weeds, no use to Him at all. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Hebrews 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).
Again we ask the fanner, “Why do you dig so deep? You don’t put the seeds away down there!”
“No,” says our friend; “but if the ground is hard and stony, the roots will not go down and the little plants will die.” This deep plowing is like the stirring up of our consciences. Sometimes when boys and girls feel that they are sinners, they are very unhappy and afraid to meet God. Then the good seed, the Word of God, falls right into their hearts and takes root. They believe it and are truly saved.
“Why do you cover up the seeds and leave them in the dark?” we ask.
Our farmer knows that if he left them on top, the birds would come and eat a great many seeds, just as Satan would like to come and steal away the Word of God from your heart before it takes root. If you accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour today, believing that He died for you, then you will be delivered from Satan’s power. The Lord Jesus has promised all His own that “no man shall pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)).
We hope the good seed will take root in your hearts while you are very young, for then we know that there will be fruit for God in your life, and He can make you a blessing to others too.
ML 08/17/1947