Page 21 - Oct19

Plowing Provides Plenty (continues) Brother David Green

habit, the effort and work of an honest employment will bring forth abundant fruit.
The earth, because of the curse of sin, only brings forth thorns and thistles. There are
no longer any Gardens of Eden for us. But, here is the blessing, "he that tilleth his

land shall have plenty of bread." Not just some bread, but plenty of bread, suste-
nance, provisions for living. The removal of labor, however, would have the opposite
effect. This would be to follow after vain persons. That is, it is vain to think God will
bless slothfulness which He hates. And, so, the result according to our text is "to have
poverty enough."

Again, the blessing does not come by seeking a life without labor, or devising ways
to gain advantage from another's diligence, nor is it expected to come from a miracle.

If our hope, focus and design is to get rich quick, God has a stern warning: "he that
maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent" (go unpunished), and "he that hasteth
to be rich hath an evil eye" (Prov. 28:20,22). Notice very carefully the descriptive
terms of action, hasteth and maketh haste. They import the idea of being consumed
with the desire that all else is left behind in importance and it just can't happen

quickly enough. There are most certainly instances where individuals become
instantly wealthy. But just as certain, if this was accrued with the total absorption of
seeking these riches with little or no concern of God's will and blessing in the matter,

if we are not seeking the Kingdom of God first and His righteousness, if the Lord
becomes second and our wealth is our first interest and passion, then our riches will
prove to be our poverty in more ways than one before ere long we possess them.
Even in circumstances where the need for a substantial amount of money is of great
and legitimate need, let us look first to God our great and perfect source of all our

provision.

The greater significance of this blessing in giving our diligence to industry is doing

so in the work of God. Industry is a virtue of grace as seen in the virtuous woman of
Proverbs 31. How rich is the harvest of wisdom, understanding and direction of life
for the diligent student of the scriptures! How victorious is the praying warrior who
wrestles with the angel until he receives the blessing! Let us take heed to the kind
exhortation Paul gave young Timothy, "give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to

doctrine...Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them." Those moments
that we do set apart for prayer, study and pondering the things of God, let it be done
wholly. That is, of what we can control, let that moment be made complete or whole

with the Lord and unshared with anything else. I know I find this very difficult to do

continued