“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy;
break up your fallow ground:
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till He come and rain righteousness upon you.”
Hosea 10:12 (KJV)
“Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until He comes and showers righteousness on you.”
Hosea 10:12 (NIV)
Today was a “pajama day”. I love pajama days. I contently spent the day putting our house back in order after the Christmas season and yesterday’s “New Year’s Day Buffet”, entertaining a house full of loved ones. Nowhere to go today and nowhere to be. Just a cozy day at home…in my pajamas!
As I took in the tasks ahead of me this morning, I paused to take some “before pictures”.
I put laundry on hold for a few days.
The dirty laundry seems to have reproduced on its own!
Our basement play room, for which we are so thankful, left little carpet to be found. The kids did help, but this was a task I really wanted to do on my own (i.e. time to really clean out!).
Our basement play room, for which we are so thankful, left little carpet to be found. The kids did help, but this was a task I really wanted to do on my own (i.e. time to really clean out!).
Unearthing our laundry room and our basement play room took me most of the day. As I was working on making dirty laundry clean again, picking up messes and putting things in their proper places (sometimes that being the trash can!), it reminded me of the worship song “Break up my fallow ground”. I began to sing the song over and over, and I made that scripture my prayer throughout the day.
“Lord, break up the fallow ground of my heart. Unearth in me the things you still want to refine and make new. Make me willing to let go those things that I stubbornly hold on to that do not honor You. Take the remnants of my old self and make them new. Do a fresh work in my heart. Awaken Your love more deeply in me. Show me again Your sweet personal love for me. Bear fruit in me for my husband and my children. Fill me so I am a vessel for Your honor and purposes to reach out to those you put in my path. I graciously want to receive from You through those precious vessels in my life with whom You have blessed me. Break up the fallow, unplowed ground in my heart. Let me sow Your righteousness and reap Your mercy. Let me continually seek You until You come and rain Your righteousness on me.”
As I worked for hours on unearthing our floors and breaking up the recently unplowed rooms of our home, I began to rejoice as things were looking pretty spiffy. I also realized that as I pray this prayer to the Lord, I need to take steps of faith and trust in Him and constantly work hard to allow Him to complete His work in Me. Asking to be refined makes me gasp at times. I know it will be bittersweet. Bitter as the fallow ground is broken up and plowed by His tender hands. Sweet as He so graciously and mercifully refines me because of His faithfulness and for His glory.
So, here are the “after pictures” of our laundry room and the basement play room. As you can see, the kids were jaw-dropped amazed with the transformation! May they also witness and be in jaw-dropping amazement of God’s continual, much-needed transforming work in Mommy this year, too! Only by His grace and strength.
It is indeed time to seek the Lord.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8