Sow your seed in the morning and in the evening

Ecclesiastes 11-12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. ² Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. ³ If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. ⁴ He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. ⁵ Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

⁶ Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

⁷ The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. ⁸ Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

⁹ Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. ¹⁰ So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.

Remember God in Your Youth

12 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; ² before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; ³ in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim; ⁴ and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly. ⁵ Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. ⁶ Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; ⁷ then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. ⁸ “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

⁹ In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.

¹¹ The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. ¹² But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.

¹³ The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ¹⁴ For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Today’s text begins saying:  Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days.  Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.  If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies.  He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.  Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.  Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.    In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus says:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”    Colossians 3:23 says:  Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.  The sowing of our seed, in the morning and the evening, should also be as unto the Lord; to store up treasure in heaven. The morning and evening sowing that is unto the Lord is not the work of our hands, but rather the work of our heart. We should begin each day in devotion to God; meditating on His goodness. We should sit in His presence and sow His word into our minds and hearts. Every day we should begin by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then throughout our day God will order our steps and make us prosperous. He will supply all of our need. At the end of each day we should again store up treasure in heaven. We should thank God for the blessings of the day. We should forgive those who have hurt or offended us, knowing that by sowing seeds of forgiveness, we too will reap from the forgiveness of heaven. The psalmist understood the benefits of sowing to his spirit in the evening. Psalm 4:4  Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still.  Psalm 16:7  I will bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my conscience instructs me.  Psalm 119:55;148  In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name, and I will keep Your law… My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word.  If we will sow unto the Lord in the morning and the evening, we can know that both will be good.

The text ends saying:  The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.  “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”  In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.  The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.  The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.  But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.  The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.    Many books have been written about how we can improve our lives. Many, with delightful words, encourage us to live for the day and this time; to satisfy ourselves with good. Do they though tell the truth correctly? In truth, all that we do and accomplish in this life, for the sake of this life, is vanity. The treasures of this world will be left to this world, or worse will be destroyed in this world. The truth is, The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.    In John 12:24, Jesus speaking of His own death says:  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.   So too is it with our lives and our death. If we will die to ourselves in this life, to sow into the kingdom of heaven, even in death, the fruit from our lives can be reproduced for generations to come.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit, today and every day may I begin by sowing into my heart and mind with seeds form the kingdom of heaven. May I meditate on You and Your word. Throughout the day and all my days, may I sow and store up treasures in heaven. When evening comes may I again sow into what is eternal, with a heart of gratitude and forgiveness, that I might reap from Your abundance. May I not squander my days on the vanity of this life, but rather may I live to bear fruit for eternity.  Amen.