Turn Your Need Into Seeds

In these tumultuous times, where the prices of necessities are escalating at lightning pace, there is a tendency for us to be inward looking in meeting our own needs first. We may turn from being one who likes to help others to one who is selfish to care only for our own immediate needs.

The Word of God admonishes us in Galatians 6 :9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

In fact during trying times, it is a good time to prove God to be faithful as in Malachi 3 : 10 ...Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty."

This is the one time where God throws an invitation to us to test him and to see that if we continue to sow seeds into His Kingdom, He who is no Man's debtor, will repay us abundantly for what we have sown into His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is one of sowing and reaping, and in 2 Corinthians 9 : 6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

There is a story in the Bible in 1 Kings 17 : 7 - 15 about a poor widow who had only a handful of flour and a little oil but yet sacrificed it to bake a cake for a prophet. "7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" 11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."

12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die." 13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah."

The widow could have been self seeking first in meeting her own physical needs which she has every right to do so as the handful of flour and the little oil was all that she had. But she turned her need into seeds of faith and because of that was rewarded with a jar of flour that was never used up and a jug of oil that did not run dry.

In difficult times, we are filled with a weight of worries which hang heavy upon us but Proverbs 17 : 22 says : "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Even as we have our own needs to be met, if we convert it to seeds, you will be surprised that in return your own needs will be met. For example, if you need friends (your need) then be friendly (seeds) yourself and seek friends. If you are sick (your need), start praying for others (seeds) and you will find that you may healed already. Dear friends, let us turn our need into seeds. God Bless You !