HAND TO THE PLOW...AGAIN

Greetings Plowboys and Plowgirls...how's the furrow?

One of my FAV albums...in the top five of FAV albums of all time would be HAND TO THE PLOW by Paul Clark. The picture on the front of the album is a picture that Paul took of his Grandfather...with his hand....not to the proverbial plow...but to the real plow. Of course for us believers...the analogy is not lost... as we plow along in this walk that we are in...keep focused...don't look back... don't give up...KEEP YOUR HAND TO THE PLOW.

If you look back...the straight furrows...turn crooked...If you take your hand of the plow...you are no longer in control of the mules/horses...and your life goes willly-nilly.

The title song of the album is a mixture of jazz and rock...which turns into funk.
Mmmmmmmmmm quite tasty.

Over the years...since 1970 (the year when I first started plowing this field)... many times I have taken my hand off of the plow. I took my hands off the plow for many different reasons (some, in my mind ligit). Temptation, sin, the flesh, discouragement, hopelessness...all resulting from letting my guard down...not disciplining my self for the purpose of godliness...letting up on reading the Word.. allowing my prayer life to dry up...not dying to myself and living to Him daily (usually dying to myself every week or so or as the my needs arise)...not taking up my cross (yielding my will to His will)...ALL reasons/excuses...with the same result...NO RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST (Romans 14:17).

The first verse states:

I've felt the pressures of temptation...I've heard the breathing lies of ac--u--sa---tion...
I know the world can be distracting...but if I keep on foot there I'm--just--acting
Well, I can't think of a reason why I should look back...and I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face LIKE FLINT TO JESUS AND HIS WORD
Yes...I'm KEEPING MY HAND TO THE PLOW

NOTE: WOW...when I first heard those words...I was infused with the hope that I can make it...I can keep on...no matter how many times I fail... I can get up again. The second verse continues:

I've felt the weight of condemnation...And how the dEVIL TWISTS MY SITUATION
My brother...if you feel defeated...let me remind you friend that YOU'VE BEEN CHEATED
Well...I can't think of a reason why I should look back...and I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face LIKE FLINT TO JESUS AND HIS WORD
Yes...I'm KEEPING MY HAND TO THE PLOW

NOTE: Whenever I would sin...succumb to temptation and walk in the flesh...CONDEMNATION would be heaped on me...and my reasoning would be...well...I've screwed up again...why even try. The condemnation did not come from God...He convicts...with the outstretched hand of redemption. "There is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 7:25) We have been given the ministry of reconciliation... "Now all these things are from God...who RECONCILED us to Himself through CHRIST, and gave us the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION." (II Corinthians 2:18) This ministry is defined in the very next verse..."namely, that God was in Christ RECONCILING THE WORLD to Himself...NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM...and He has committed to us the WORD OF RECONCILIATION." (II Corinthians 5:19)

The devil (little d...he does not deserve a capital d) really does twist our situations...giving us a feeling of defeat...all the while being cheated.
Notice how the word devil says it all...d-evil.


Another great song that speaks to me...about walking out his walk is Bob Dylan's Got To Serve Somebody. Dylan lists multiple people from all walks and lifestyles...and makes the statement..."You got to SERVE SOMEBODY...it may be the devil...it may be the Lord...but you got to SERVE SOMEBODY."

You are either plowing the fields of the Kingdom of God (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost)...or you are sowing the fields of the devil (unrighteousness, unrest, and sadness).

This picture show two of my favorite artists...Phil Keaggy and Paul Clark rocking out to Dylan's GOT TO SERVE SOMEBODY. For my money...it just don't get no better than this.

Put your hand to the plow...and serve the Lord.



FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY...

I close with how I opened...PLOWBOYS AND PLOWGIRLS...how's your FURROW. The furrow is a narrow groove made in the ground by a plow...plowed land. The plowing preceded the planting....which proceeds to growth...which results in harvest. It's all about preparation in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes...the ground becomes fallow. Fallow ground is ground that was plowed but not seeded for one or more growing seasons to kill weeds or make the soil richer...OR just left unattended. The ground develops a hardness and must be broken up again, de-weeded...etc. Either way...THE PLOW must be administered before THE PLANTING...with growth that may need PRUNING... but that's another Rambling for another time.

Love and Plowed Kisses
Rodney "Hand Back On The Plow...Again" Boyd