What Can Change Our Harvest? {Mother’s Day Giveaway}

Recently, something that had happened a long time ago and one that had happened after about a decade later had visited my memory which reminded me about this verse and had me pondering on it:

…A man reaps what he sows. (Gal. 6:7)

Many years ago, a young teenager wanted so much to spend summer vacation in Manila. Her aunt who was then studying in one of the universities there acquiesced to bringing her with her when she returned for summer classes. This youngster was very industrious and intelligent. Her maturity was way beyond her youth. In her aunt’s boarding house in Manila, she helped in every way she could: go to the market, cook meals, clean, wash her aunt’s clothes which were mostly jeans and when they were wet were very heavy indeed. The youngster was regularly tall and thin.

One day, her aunt found her washing clothes in the tiny bath and comfort room. (In the Philippines back then when washing machine was a rarity, one would sit in front of a big basin where one would wash clothes. And that was the position of the youngster when her aunt came into the bathroom). She saw that two of her shirts which bled were barely touching each other. The youngster had separated them, thinking that the colors might bleed, but they might have touched without her noticing it. Though there wasn’t any damage done, her aunt picked up one piece of dripping clothing and whipped the youngster on her back with it, not just once but enough times to let hot scalding tears fall down her face, after her aunt had left. But it wasn’t only the whipping of wet clothing, but also the whipping of hurtful words that made her cry.

She had surely forgiven her shortly, even though there wasn’t any kind of remorse or apology from her aunt. For a girl who was full of hope for a bright future, unforgiveness had certainly no place in her heart. And so, soon she had forgotten about this sad event as she proceeded to pursue a career.

One day after more than a decade later, she heard sad news from her mother how her aunt (this was the aunt) was almost killed by her husband in one of their fights. Her aunt was rushed to the hospital as blood spurted from the wounds she sustained in the violent hands of her husband. He hit her with a dinner plate until it broke in her flesh. Years later, they finally separated when the husband brought home another woman.

Thinking about it now, I believe the aunt didn’t deserve such cruelty. But who knows what would come of us when we are separate from the love of God? When we sow cruelty, what shall we reap but cruelty also?

But there is one thing that can change the course of our lives – the grace of God. All of us had, at one time or another and in one way or another, made mistakes in our lives, and sown seeds of unrighteousness and sin. And what would the end be to all those things that we are now ashamed of but death? But when we receive the gift of God – the salvation of our souls through Jesus Christ – the seed of faith is what is sown in our hearts. It grows and bears the fruit of righteousness unto holiness and the end, eternal life. (See Romans 6).

We shall reap a harvest of God’s blessings unto eternal life.

This is how our lives and our future are changed: to be dead and buried with the Lord Jesus Christ through baptism, and be raised up in newness of life, in the same manner as He was raised from the dead and lives forever (Rom. 6:4). In Christ, everything becomes new, the old is forgotten. Amazing grace!

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Cor. 5:17 NLT)

(If you haven’t received the Lord Jesus Christ in your life and are not sure if you are saved and heir of eternal life, know the keys of salvation here).

MOTHER’S DAY GIVEAWAY! Extended until Monday midnight, May 7!

For USA/Canada:

Native woven bag made of buntal with faux leather accents, inner lining and pockets and zipper closure. Proudly Philippine-made.

Mechanics:

• Three things are required to be able to join the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment on this post below.
2. You must be subscribed via e-mail to Healing Moments. If you aren’t yet subscribed, sign-up form is found at the side bar – thank you!
3. “Like” Healing Moments on Facebook. Facebook “Like” plug-in is found at the bottom portion of the side bar.

To those who are already subscribed via e-mail and have “liked” Healing Moments on FB ~ thank you from the bottom of my heart! I hope you’ll join, USA/Canada friends!

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My weekly gratitude list – grateful to the Lord for:

• twelve years of marriage, by the amazing grace of God! Here’s our story, our testimony. (In photo are flowers from my sweetheart :)).
• the pack of prettily-crafted cards I received from a friend of my husband’s in the US.
• His gentle reminders that I am His and not the world’s!
• His daily dose of comfort.
• another Spirit-filled Sunday worship service; watching and listening to the Children’s Choir as they sang and were filled with the Holy Spirit, tears streaming down their faces. What a glorious, inspiring, reviving sight!

Linked to Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty, Multitudes on Monday, Titus 2sday, Domestically Divine, Teach Me Tuesday, Encourage My Heart, State of the Heart, Women Living Well, Winsome Wednesday, Faith Filled Friday, Spiritual Sundays