There’s a principle that runs throughout Scripture which Paul states clearly in Galatians 6:7, “whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” It’s the law of the harvest . . . it’s the way of action and reaction . . . of cause and effect. The principle jumped off the page in my reading in Hosea this morning. Israel was reaping the result of their spiritual adultery as their cheating on God resulted in increased depravity and hardness of heart. Though God was willing to take back his “unfaithful wife”, even prepared to buy her back from the market of sin’s slavery, she persistently rejected the call and continued to sell herself to others. And so she invites the wrath of God . . . the bad fruit she has already born not to be compared with the coming “reaction” of heaven as a result of her actions on earth. But even in this, God’s desire is to discipline such that there is a coming to the senses and a return to their first love.

As I’m reading in chapter 10, Hosea, the one who has known first-hand the heart-wrenching disappointment and grief of an unfaithful wife, is moved by the Spirit to call out that Ephraim (Israel) is reaping injustice because they have plowed fields of iniquity . . . they have bought into the “fruit of lies” . . . trusted in their own ways . . . and are about to know terrible destruction because of their evil (10:13-15). But God says that even with this yoke of judgment upon them, He would have them return . . . that they would respond to the yoke and plow new ground . . . ground that will invite the Father’s blessing . . . ground that would once again bear much fruit.

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.   (Hosea 10:12 ESV)

Break up the hard ground . . . dig in and overturn the fruitless ground . . . and sow seeds of righteousness. Seek the LORD . . . and there will be a harvest . . . there will be reaping of the steadfast love of God . . . of the loyal mercies of the One who longs for His children to pursue the abiding fellowship of God in their midst. God calls to repentance and offers renewal. God desires their face to be turned again toward His, that His face might again shine upon them. And when they do . . . He will come . . . and rain righteousness upon them . . . O’ let it rain!

O the pursuit of God for His people . . . O the desire of God that His people would pursue Him. And though our efforts are feeble . . . our righteousness is a filthy rags . . . the response of heaven to the seeking of the LORD is to rain down righteousness. The outpouring is the the righteousness of Another . . . the righteousness of the perfect and spotless Lamb of God . . . He who came to take away the sin of the world . . . He whose perfection is rained down upon all who believe, upon those who pursue, through the Holy Spirit . . . yeah, let it rain!

It is time to seek the LORD . . .

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion . . . “   (Hebrews 3:7-8a ESV)

Plow up the hard heart . . . dig deep . . . break up the fallow ground . . . that is might be ready to receive the seeds of renewal and revival . . . that it might receive the rain of righteousness . . . the outpouring of Christ’s very nature.

Let it rain . . . by His grace . . . for His glory. Amen?