Break up your fallow ground

Jeremiah 4:3 (NKJV) reads:

> **"For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: 'Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.'"**

### Introduction

The message of Jeremiah 4:3 is a call to self-examination, repentance, and spiritual renewal. Here, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, speaks to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. They were facing a time of impending judgment due to their persistent sin and rebellion against God. This verse is a plea for them to prepare their hearts for a change. It carries both an agricultural metaphor and a spiritual message, emphasizing the need for genuine repentance and transformation.

### 1. **"Break up your fallow ground"**

**Fallow ground** refers to uncultivated or idle land. It is ground that has been left unplowed for a season or longer, causing it to become hard, dry, and unproductive. In this metaphor, God is using the image of fallow ground to represent the spiritual condition of the people's hearts.

**Key Points:**

- **The Condition of Fallow Ground**: Fallow ground is hardened and cannot receive seed effectively. Similarly, a hardened heart cannot receive the Word of God. When our hearts are indifferent, distracted, or filled with unrepented sin, they become resistant to God’s influence.

- **Breaking Up the Ground**: To "break up" the fallow ground is to prepare it for planting. Spiritually, this involves self-reflection, confession of sin, and a willingness to change. It means allowing God to soften our hearts, making them receptive to His Word and His will.

- **Application**: What areas of your life have become "fallow"? Are there parts of your heart that have become resistant to God's Word due to sin, bitterness, or complacency? This is a call to repentance, to let God plow through the hardness of your heart and prepare you for spiritual growth.

**Illustration**: Imagine a farmer who wants a good harvest. He cannot just scatter seed on hard, untilled ground; it would be wasted. He must first plow the land, turning over the soil, making it ready to receive the seed. Likewise, God wants to bring forth a spiritual harvest in our lives, but first, our hearts must be prepared.

### 2. **"Do not sow among thorns"**

In the second part of the verse, God warns against sowing seeds among thorns. Thorns represent distractions, sins, and worldly concerns that choke out spiritual growth.

**Key Points:**

- **The Dangers of Sowing Among Thorns**: Thorns compete with good seeds for nutrients, water, and light. In a spiritual sense, the "thorns" can be anything that hinders our growth in Christ—sins, distractions, materialism, and unholy influences. Jesus, in the Parable of the Sower, also warned against the seed that falls among thorns, as it gets choked and becomes unfruitful (Matthew 13:22).

- **Identifying the Thorns in Our Lives**: What are the "thorns" that may be present in your heart? These could be unresolved bitterness, ungodly relationships, the pursuit of worldly wealth, or anything that takes precedence over God.

- **The Call to Purity**: God desires for His people to plant seeds of righteousness in good, pure soil. This means actively removing anything that could hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It involves repentance, prioritizing our relationship with God, and choosing to live in holiness.

**Application**: It’s not enough to simply receive the Word; we must cultivate a life where the Word can grow unhindered. Ask yourself, what distractions or sins are choking the spiritual growth in your life?

**Illustration**: A gardener carefully weeds his garden to ensure that the plants he desires to grow are not overtaken by invasive species. In the same way, we must be diligent to remove anything that competes with our devotion to God.

### 3. **The Call to Repentance and Renewal**

The overarching theme of this passage is a call to repentance. God is urging the people of Judah and Jerusalem to turn away from their sins and return to Him with sincere hearts. The preparation of the soil represents the preparation of their hearts for a renewed relationship with God.

**Key Points:**

- **Repentance Precedes Revival**: Before God can bring spiritual renewal, there must be a turning away from sin. We often pray for revival, but revival begins with repentance. When we allow God to "break up" the hardened areas of our hearts, we make room for His Spirit to work in and through us.

- **The Fruit of Righteousness**: When the soil of our hearts is prepared, God can plant seeds that will bear fruit. This fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are the qualities of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit.

**Illustration**: Think of a farmer who prepares his field with care, plants his seed, and then waits expectantly for the harvest. In the same way, God is looking for a harvest of righteousness in our lives. He is patient, waiting for us to prepare our hearts so that His Word can take root and flourish.

### **Conclusion**

Jeremiah 4:3 is a powerful call to prepare our hearts for the work God wants to do in us. It challenges us to:

- **Break up the fallow ground** of our hearts through repentance and openness to God.

- **Remove the thorns** that can choke out our spiritual growth, such as sin and distractions.

- **Seek true renewal** and transformation, allowing God to cultivate a harvest of righteousness in our lives.

**Invitation**: Is there an area of your heart that has become hardened or overrun with "thorns"? God is calling you today to prepare your heart, to break up the fallow ground, and to seek Him wholeheartedly. Let’s come before Him with humility, asking Him to plow the fields of our hearts so that His Word can take root and bear much fruit.

**Prayer**:

"Lord, we come before You, acknowledging the hard, fallow areas of our hearts. We ask You to break up the ground, soften our hearts, and remove anything that hinders our growth in You. Help us not to sow among thorns, but to seek You with pure and undivided hearts. May Your Word take root in our lives, bringing forth a harvest of righteousness for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen."