Fallow Ground

Daily Gratitude Year 5-Day 363: Today, I am grateful for fallow ground.


Most farm kids grew up hearing the phrase "fallow ground". I remember conversations, "That is fallow ground." Or, "Are we leaving that "fallow?" By definition, fallow ground is "plowed and disced, but left unsown for a period of time to restore its fertility as part of a crop rotation or to avoid surplus production." Farmers might work the ground with a plow and disc harrow, but leave it unsown to give it time to rest and restore. 

It is an old farming practice with Biblical roots:

“Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.”-Exodus 23:10-11

It is good for the land. It means better and more abundant crops when the land has healed. After the rest... it must be broken up and leveled before planting. 

Today, modern farming practices including crop rotations in two or three crops. It means the practice of "fallow ground" is not as common. Today, as I was reading, I was reminded of the lesson and the luxury of "fallow ground". Time to rest and restore... and then breaking up fallow ground to bring new, better and richer crops. There is a lesson here.

What part of our hearts, life practices or daily walk have we left fallow and unused? What or why do we hold back? What gift, talent, land, use of time or opportunity has remained unused. What area of our lives is rich and ready to be planted and harvested? 

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 

God wants us to seek him with our whole hearts. He longs to be sovereign in every unused portion... holding nothing back. The unused parts, when surrendered to His hand, can yield a bountiful harvest. It is so easy to let fear hold us back from the offering. (Romans 12:1-2)

Feelings of inadequacy or being unqualified are the enemy's way of keeping us chained by fear. We all have fallow ground that is rested, ready and waiting to be used for the King. Breaking ground on something new is not only exciting, it is often where God can use us best. It is the place where we are not weary and worn out... but wonderfully fraught with potential. 

The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” -Matthew 13:23

It is a great day... as this year is wrapping up... to consider what unused piece of our hearts we might surrender to his service in 2018. He longs for an intimacy with us that is indescribable. What many don't know, is that the emptiness they feel is a puzzle piece in their soul that only He can fit and fill. 

We were first created for relationship first with Him.  He longs for us to be "all in". He is itching to use the fallow ground of our lives to His glory, to feed, build up and encourage others. In the process, we find a deeper intimacy with the Lord of our Hearts. What are we waiting for? It is time to break up the fallow ground so it can be useful, once again. 

Today, I am grateful for fallow ground.