Faith, Culture, & the Church

UA-115346459-1

If You Want to Plough New Ground

10/4/2019

I don't know how much you know about farming. But my guess is that I am one of few who spent her days feeding cows, picking rocks from the fields, and living life based on the seasons of the ground--ploughing, planting, harvesting, more harvesting, rest.

Growing up on a farm wasn't totally out of the ordinary in the small town where I lived. I had friends who lived similar lifestyles, and I thought nothing of the uniqueness of it. Now that I am older, and my years on the farm or long in the distance, I realize just how blessed I was to have learned the ways of agriculture. Not just because of the farm-to-table trend or the fact that I know where our food comes from (hard-working and brilliant men and women who spend their lives providing for the nutritional needs of our country). But also because of the truths and stories of the Bible ring true to me in ways that I know they wouldn't if I hadn't seen the metaphors that are set inside them in real life.

This phrase kept going over and over in my mind today as I was running: If you want to plough new ground, you have to venture into new fields.

I am not sure how it got there, but it was my companion for the road. And as I mulled it over, I truly wondered at the message of it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that to plough new ground, one needs a new field. This is a simple truth. In the physical it makes sense. I am guessing one without farm experience would not have trouble understanding this concept.

So as I ran I kept trying to think of verses about ploughing that would help me understand what the Lord has put into my thoughts for this day. Hosea came to mind.

But in Hosea 10:12, the author is not penning farming advice. In our souls and in our journey toward heaven with Jesus, there is also ground that needs ploughing and ground waiting to be ploughed. But we have to go to that unploughed ground in order to start. This is hard work. This may bring fear, but if God asks it of us, who are we to say no?

What new field are you holding back from entering?
What area of your life is God calling you to take a risk and start digging up, preparing the way for planting, then nurturing, then harvest, and then rest?

Friends, we can't plough new ground if we don't venture into new fields. Choose today to go find the new field and invite the Holy Spirit in to help you get some ploughing started.

Jaclyn is a wife, mom, educator, visionary, and avid runner who uses her writing to pick up and examine life, culture, faith and running, probing to discover the awe of God who is sovereign over it all. Join her on her journey at jaclynloween.com. She is a firm believer in the powerful, effectiveness of the body of Christ united together to live out theGreat Commission. Because we are stronger, healthier and lovelier when living on mission together, she desires to help others know their unique design and purpose for such a time as this.

1 Comment

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Jaclyn Loween

I wear many hats, but the ones I have worn the longest are daughter and Christian. I am a daughter to amazing, Godly parents, and I am daughter to the King of the Universe. I am a Christian who depends on grace and passionately loves the Church. One of the heaviest burdens my heart carries is for the Body of Christ. I desperately desire to do all that I can to build up each member of the body and to see God's power come and settle in to the hearts of his people.
I am also keenly aware of the culture (the way of life for the American people): How it so often clashes with the mission of heaven and is jam packed full of brokenness.
And I want no one living in it to miss out on the truest freedom and the greatest hope, neither of which can be found in government nor circumstances.
So, I write. I write about what I know from the Bible and what I see happening around me. I write in hopes that in fleshing out the burdens in my heart with the Word of God and the understanding of the human condition that I can create word pictures, analogies and statements that resonate, speak truth, build others up and point hearts to the path of the one and only Savior King.
That is what you will find on this page of my blog: thoughts, questions, and writing that reflect my musings with understanding the Bible, culture and living faithfully here with heaven in mind.