The Certainty of God

He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

When television meteorologists miss a weather prediction, their only consequence is being ribbed by friends and viewers. But it’s a different story for farmers—their very livelihood depends on being right about the weather.

The primary crop in biblical days was grain—specifically wheat and barley. Those crops were sown and harvested by hand. When it was time to sow grain seeds, a high wind could scatter the seeds before they ever hit the ground, providing patchy coverage in the field. So it was better to sow on a calm day. At harvest time, rain was the enemy. The grain would be cut by hand and lie in the field until it could be bundled and stored. Rain could ruin a harvest laying in the field. A farmer would check the wind and check the clouds and make his best guess as to the approaching weather. A farmer bound by uncertainty would never sow and never reap a harvest.

Life is filled with uncertainty. But that should never keep us from making decisions based on prayer and counsel and trusting God with the outcome. Submit all your uncertainties to the certainty of God’s providence.

Nothing in the world causes so much misery as uncertainty. Martin Luther