Father, may I grow faithful in my pursuit of You;
Have courage to share the Truth of Jesus;
Not waiting for the perfect moment, but in every moment.
Focus of the Month: “A Plentiful Harvest”
No one knows what tomorrow brings, or even if tomorrow will be. If this statement is true, then perhaps it is enough to awaken with a heart full of joy readiness to share this joy with others. But do we? Do we move through our day sharing Jesus with purpose and diligence? Do we tell of who He is and what He has done for each and everyone of us? Are we certain what we “did” today will sprout an ample blessing tomorrow? Or, do we fool ourselves by calling out to Him “Lord, Lord” while not doing what He says? This thought has me stirred up!
How often do I take my daily encounters for granted? How often will I miss the opportunity to say more? It isn’t enough to tell others I love Christ and not give them the story of why. Yet, I do just that when I choose to leave my faith, my convictions, or my beliefs at home or locked up in my heart. You see, the seeds that were planted in me that have grown my faith, the Truth of who Jesus is, are not to be bottled up and kept to myself. He is for all to know. How great is His love for us. How selfish of me to keep it a secret. Those of us who call Him our Savior need to share what is growing within us.
As God’s truth takes root in our life, what do we do next? Scripture doesn’t keep this a secret from us:
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9: 6-8)
We all sow, no doubt about it. Whether sparingly or bountifully, that is the question. Sowing encompasses many areas of our life. And whether one is a Christ follower or not, this principle applies. Our decision-making, our use of finances, the habits we form and the relationships we develop are all places we sow. We influence others by the way we live. By giving the Good News to others we will receive the blessings from the Father.
Sowing, in a simple form, means – if we ‘do good’ we ‘receive good’ and in turn, if we ‘do evil’ we ‘receive evil’. So who decides what is good and what is evil? That is where our faith comes in. God has determined what is good, what is true, what is lovely and praise-worthy. It is within this we measure our sowing.
Galatians 6:7 warns us:
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Spending our time doing for ourselves without regard to the truth of Christ means the harvest collected will only be on this earth. Yet, when our focus is on the things of God, the harvest will gain souls for His kingdom. The harvest becomes eternal. In all endeavors, as we seek God, share His ways, live in His ways and keep His commandments we are sowing good for His sake. It is in this type of giving out that we receive the good and perfect gifts.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References here: Ecclesiastes 11:4; Jeremiah 29:13; Psalm 105:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Galatians 6:7-9
