Fri.'s Devo - Sowing and Reaping

Read: Ezekiel 35:1-36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27
Ezekiel speaks against Mt. Seir because she harbored an ancient hostility. I went back and studied the history of Mt. Seir. It was given to Esau for his inheritance. There was defineitly an ancient hostility was between Esau and Jacob and their descendants. These people came against the children of Israel and tried to take their land from them. Mt. Seir was also the place God gave his people the law. Later, when Amaziah conquered the people of Seir, he took their gods and set them up in the temple to worship. The people of Seir had had a vendetta against Israel and were going to reap what they had sown. They had shed blood and now their blood would be shed. They had spoken against God’s people and had been glad when they had been wasted and now people would say and feel the same about them.
God told Ezekiel to speak against the mountains of Israel. Mountains stand for leaders. Israel’s leaders had been very corrupt and sinful but Ezekiel spoke of a day when the leaders would be fruitful and their land would rise up and be a prosperous nation once again. God would bring his people back and cleanse their sins. I have seen that happen in my lifetime.
James is one of my favorite books in the New Testament because it actually explains the benefits of trials and what our attitude should be about them. Trials come to mature us and make us whole. They work on our faith and our perseverance. Our attitude should be one of joy. The reward of trials is the crown of life. Revelation 2:10 explains that the crown of life comes to the person who gives their life for the Lord. It is what we will throw at Jesus feet (Revelations 4:10). First Peter 5:4 says that we will receive a crown of glory that won’t fade. Psalm 116:15 reminds us that the death of his saints is precious to the Lord. It is precious because it stands for their finished life. It is our life that determines the fate of our death. It goes back to reaping what we have sown.
Lord, may we live our lives to receive the crown of life that we can cast at your feet. It is all for your glory.