August 7 - Unplowed Ground

Today's Reading:
Hosea 10:1-14:9 
Mark 2:13-3:6 
Proverbs 23:29-24:4
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Focus Verses:
Hosea 10:12 
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, 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 righteousness on you. 

Insight:
The call to righteousness is a call to soften and open your heart. Like soil that needs to be tilled and broken up to receive seed and produce a crop, our hearts must be made ready to receive God's word and to produce righteousness as God nurtures that seed by the showers of his grace and provision.

Response and Action:
I need to be softhearted toward God. I need to break up the soil of my life and receive the word of God's truth. I need to sow seeds in my life that produce righteousness and integrity.

O God, by your grace and mercy, help me to soften my heart. I seek you with all my heart. Make the field of my life ready to receive your truth and your guidance. Nurture and sustain me that I might grow strong in faith and be productive in life. Help me to honor you in all things. Amen. 

Spiritual Formation Verses:  
Galatians 6:6-8 
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Resources:
Revolution of Character: Discovering Christ's Pattern for Spiritual Transformation
by Dallas Willard and Don Simpson