What was a beautiful garden with corn, potatoes, and squash is now nothing but hard dirt.  So hard it won’t let the refreshing rains in……….so hard that is, until I plow it using the turning plow.

Boy, I timed it just right too.  Two days after plowing, a rain came and soaked this plot of land.  Instead of running off because of the hard crusted soil, the water soaked in. I’m already preparing for next spring’s crop of early corn and ‘taters’. (My mouth is watering just thinking about that corn on the cob).  Turning the soil over allows it to mellow and absorb moisture.  Turning the soil will get rid of bugs and weeds.  It allows old corn stalks and old growth to become one with the soil.  Turning the soil basically allows what was once a prepared  garden to go from a hard patch of dirt back to a ………..well, a prepared patch of garden.  This turning of the soil is so important in maintaining a productive plot of land.  Why?  It keeps the soil from becoming hard.

Sow righteousness for yourselves, 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 his righteousness on you.  Hosea 10:12

We are always talking about how God showers us with His blessings. I guess it’s like the rainfall that showers down on the land. But what if your heart has hardened?  My garden that produced a wonderful crop last year has gradually hardened over time because of my neglect.  I didn’t take care of it.  Weeds took over, the summer sun baked it, more weeds, more harsh weather, and lots of neglect on my part.  But with the help of my turning plow, that’s about to change.

I’d hate for all the winter rains and spring showers to fall down on the land but runoff because my garden plot had grown hard.  Whoa, I’d hate for God’s showers of blessings to rain down on me and you but we missed out and didn’t receive them because we had grown hard spiritually.  Our hearts can grow hard.   How?  When we neglect to “turn our hearts” so that we can receive from God.  Over time, from daily spiritual battles, from spiritual “weeds”, we grow hard.  If we allow this to continue and neglect to prepare a place to receive God’s blessings in our hearts and lives, well……..we miss out.

Hey, it’s raining!  Is God soaking in or is He not allowed to come in to your life because you have become hard again. It just rained and you didn’t even get wet.  Nothing soaked in.  It all rolled off like it was on a duck’s back.  You’re a hard hearted soul.  Bummer.

Get you a “turning plow” and prepare yourself to receive a blessing from God.  How do you “turn your heart” to prepare for this?  Maybe your “turning plow” is a song you can sing.  Or maybe you “break up the hard dirt” by prayer.  Or you break up your hard heart by talking to/with Jesus,  maybe nothing more than a quiet time alone with Him. What ever “turning plow”  you use, you better use it.  God’s got another shower of blessings on the way.  Preparing your heart to receive anything from God allows your soul to become a prepared garden that will yield abundant fruit for your Lord and Saviour.  I can taste the spiritual “corn on the cob” even now.