Bearing Precious Seed

“He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”  (Psalm 126:6 ESV)


The man stooped down to the earth, placed something in the earth, tapped the earth lightly, and then stood up.  He moved over a couple of inches, stooped down to the earth, repeated his actions, and stood up again.  He did this over and over again.  Stooping, placing something into the earth, tapping the earth, and then rising again.  Step after step of monotonous labor, up and down the long stretch of field.  His profession?  A farmer.  His task?  Planting his seed.  His objective?  A bountiful harvest.  


The psalmist speaks here of a farmer planting his seed.  In Luke 8, Christ uses the picture of the farmer planting his seed to illustrate the planting of the seed of the gospel.  As believers, we have been entrusted with that same seed of the gospel.  Taking the farmer as our example, there are some principles to be learned.  


First of all, our work will be hard work.  The farmer has to go out in his field and devote long and hard hours to get his seed into the ground.  It is back-breaking work with no immediate results. Many times our work as the planters of the gospel will be not necessarily back-breaking work, but it will be heart-breaking work as we seek to win the lost.  Our work also will many times have no immediate results.  That does not, however, excuse us from continuing our labor; but we must persevere and continue planting the seed.  


Secondly, however, there is promised rejoicing at the time of harvest.  The farmer plants his seed at much personal cost.  At the end of summer, however, he reaps what he has sown with a joyful heart.  In the same way, God has promised that His word “shall not return to [Him] void” (Isaiah 55:11).  There will be a harvest and it will be with great rejoicing.  God’s word will accomplish His work.  We need to simply plant it.  


Thus, as we consider our commission before us, what are we doing about fulfilling it?  Are we bearing precious seed with us wherever we go?  The waitress at the restaurant – do you take the time to talk to her, to find out why she’s tired, to share with her about the One Who can give her perfect rest?  The sales clerk you come across at the mall – do you tell him about One Who has bought him with His blood which is more precious than silver or gold?  The drunk you come across as you walk down the street – do you tell him of Him Who is the Living Water?  The arrogant teenager at your church who has heard it all – do you tell her of the God Who knows her every thought?  The rebellious bus kid that comes every week on your bus ministry – do you tell him of the One Who loved him so much that He died for him?  Are you bearing that precious seed, sowing it everywhere you go?