Reap what’s been sown

Moses survived the storm. Stowed away in the ark for year with his immediate family and two of every kind of mammal on the earth. By the grace of God alone, they were the only survivors of the catastrophic, devastating storm.

Can you imagine the stress he endured? The anxiety built up in his bones as his entire family was tossed about for so long? I’ve yet to be closed up in a boat with my family for a year, but a long day stuck inside with two small children drives me to the pantry in search for chocolate the moment bedtime is complete.

“Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.” (Genesis 9:20-21)

An escape. A crutch. A craving. A habit.

The earth was desolate. Noah was a gardener. He chose to plant a vineyard.

Juicy, plump, ripe grapes. The grapes grew, Noah harvested, and the fruit of his labor was turned into wine. One drink led to many until Noah passed out, and the rest of the story gets messy.

Over the years, people have asked many questions and made plenty of assumptions about that personal choice and conviction to abstain from alcohol. But I know myself well. When my body craves, my self-control caves. I’ve learned its difficult to resist temptation and easy to give way to self-justification.

Maybe it’s a friendly relationship with a co-worker of the opposite sex.

Maybe it’s a show, movie, or book that has a captivating plotline.

Maybe it’s a credit card that is only used for emergencies and occasional retail therapy.

Maybe it’s a complete stranger you regularly follow on social media.

We all have our “vineyards.” The things we turn to when life is tough. The things that seem harmless yet find a way to trip us up and drag us down. We cultivate and grow and give our time to them until one day they’ve pulled us far past temptation and head first into sin.

But what if that vineyard had never been planted? What if we ended that relationship, put down that book, stopped watching that series, cut up that credit card, or unfollowed that stranger?

“A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7-9

Let us not give up, Lord. Be our escape, our craving, our habit. And help us sow good seeds to produce a harvest that honors you.