Sow and Reap

Nataliya Melnychuk, Unsplash

Sowing, an act of obedience. Reaping, a glimpse of His faithfulness.

When I see images of deforestation, habitat destruction, species extinction, and polluted rivers, I find myself wrestling. How could this possibly be the kind of world that God — who called His creation "good" — is pleased with?

I think of Jesus walking among wildflowers, teaching His disciples to “consider the lilies,” or noticing the fall of a single sparrow. I think of God placing Adam and Eve in the garden, not to consume it, but to work it and take care of it. From the very beginning, we were made to be caretakers, not just consumers.

And yet, caring for God’s creation can feel like invisible work.

Most days, it looks like very ordinary choices: my husband and I using shampoo bars instead of plastic bottles. Taking the extra step to rinse packaging before recycling. Choosing local produce over imported ones where possible. Growing herbs at home. There is no applause, no big “God moment”. Just a quiet conviction that this matters — even if no one sees.

And still, I find myself asking: Does any of this amount to anything?

There were years when this question haunted me. I felt the weight of wanting more people to get it — to understand that Creation Care is not just a side project for the eco-conscious, but a response to the gospel. A recognition that our love for the Creator should naturally extend to His creation.

But the more I wrestled, the more I learned something else entirely: sowing is less about results, and more about obedience.

It is about saying yes to what the Lord has put before me, no matter how small. It is about releasing my desire for outcomes and instead being faithful with what I have been entrusted with.

Sowing, an act of obedience

I’m reminded of the parable in Matthew 13 — the farmer scattering seeds. Some land on rocky paths, some among thorns, and some on good soil. It is a picture of how God’s Word is received, yes — but also a reminder that sowing always begins with trust. The farmer has no control over the hearts of others or the weather. He just sows.

I do not always know what kind of soil I am sowing into — whether my quiet actions are noticed, ignored, or dismissed. But each act of care, I now learn to see, is a seed of obedience. 

………….

And reaping?

That is the part I had to surrender.

Because the harvest is not mine to measure. I do not exactly get to decide when, how, or in what form the fruit appears. There are no spiritual metrics for how the lives of people are changed just because I brought my own bag to the supermarket, said ‘no’ to a straw, or ate less meat… but every now and then, grace peeks through — My basil plant that revived after weeks of caring for it, a friend who tells me they have started bringing their own 'dabao' box, or how Our Father’s World has grown and impacted many churches across Singapore to love the Creator and His creation in all aspects of ministry and mission.

None of these were planned by me, nor did I even pray specifically for them (though I should have). But they arrived — gifts of grace.

Reaping is not a reward for my faithfulness, but a glimpse of God’s faithfulness.

Reaping, a glimpse of His faithfulness

So I learn to keep sowing seeds that care for His creation as it aligns my heart with God’s original design, and His coming kingdom. And if nothing else, I want to be someone found faithful with the mustard seed in my hand.

I rest in the promise that one day, He will make all things new, in heaven and on earth.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation 21:1-5 ESV

Priscilla is an animal and nature lover, participating in God’s restorative work on earth by caring for His creation. She now serves as the content coordinator at Our Father’s World. Her journey was shaped in part by an internship with A Rocha Canada, where she saw how faith and ecology can meet in deeply practical ways. She worships with her husband at Bethesda Pasir Ris Mission Church, serving in the Worship and Music ministry. At home, she is often found baking, reading, watercolouring, gyming or walking her dog Nala.