Reaping the Whirlwind

Hosea 8:7

“They will sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”

Back in the country where I grew up, we had about 3 or 4 acres of grass to plant. Naturally, the pasture did not give us lush Bermuda grass, so we had to plant it. I cannot tell you where we got the seed from, but I did see what came up out of the ground. Lots of Bermuda grass, lush, beautiful Bermuda grass, but also something else, sticker burrs. Those plants that look like grass but flower into a grass burr in West Texas. Somehow, the seed we purchased was full of grass burrs also, and we did not know it until it came up. With the absence of grass burrs in the natural grassland, it was clear that those pesky little sticker burrs were in the Bermuda seed we planted. We had to, slowly over time, pull them up and eradicate them. I do not think we ever got rid of all of them. What a pain.

Anything you sow is small, like a seed. It does not look like the plant you grow, but rather a really tiny seed. It does not look like much, but under the right conditions, it can grow into a huge plant. The verse today says they will sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The wind, in this case, is rather small, but the whirlwind is much larger. I reckon it is like a hurricane-type gust that destroys things when it blows.

What you planted or sowed grew into something larger, and just like the grass burrs, you have to deal with it when it matures. Sin is like that. It may seem small and insignificant on its own. No one saw me, or it was just one time, or everyone else does it. The seed is sown. Something small, something that looks meaningless, and maybe you forget about it. That seed grows up, and when it flowers under the care of your protection, it can reap some nasty things.

I love the sign that reads, “Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes it is because you are stupid and make dumb decisions.” What you may not realize is that the sin in your life that has been sown will grow up, and you will have to deal with it even when it reveals itself as a whirlwind. In case you are saying, “that is in the Old Testament and does not apply,” read Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” You will reap whatever you sow; you can count on it. Believe me, you do not want to spend the majority of your life cleaning up the whirlwind you grew while covering up your sin.

Today is the day you stop covering up your sin and start the eradication process. It will take some work to pull out all the bad stuff in your life and throw it away, but Jesus will be your strength. It says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” The self-discipline it will take to eradicate the sin in your life for good only comes from the Father. Alone, you will never completely overcome it.

We used gloves to pull out those grass burrs, and it took some time and also one or two growing seasons, but the job got done. If you are reaping the whirlwind of your bad decisions, it is time to turn to Jesus and let Him carry the load. Sin is always a grass burr when it matures, never something you want to keep, and if you do not get rid of it, you will find a yard full of grass burrs that end up in your feet and hands, crippling you from enjoying what God has given you.

Prayer: Father, help me to deal with the sin in my life. I give it all to You. I submit myself, my sin, my shortcomings, my anger, and everything that does not line up with You today, and I pray for strength and perseverance to eradicate it. In Jesus’ name, amen.