Consider meditating on this Scripture
passage.
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was
like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other
nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them." Yes,
the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! Restore our fortunes, LORD,
as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts
of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return
with the harvest. Psalm 126:1-6
A
time to plant and a time to harvest. Ecclesiastes 3:2. There
are many verses in the Bible that talk about planting and harvesting. Job’s
friend, Eliphaz, spoke to Job to try to comfort him when he was discouraged.
But
now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches
you. Doesn't your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn't your life of
integrity give you hope? Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the
upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and
cultivate evil will harvest the same. Job 4:5-8
Jesus spoke to his disciples after His
encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.
I
sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work,
and now you will get to gather the harvest. John 4:38
Paul wisely taught the Galatians that
they will get what they give. You’ll harvest wheat…not corn or beans…if you
plant wheat, but he goes beyond just crops and reminds them that their
spiritual lives follow the same principle. You reap what you sow.
Don't
be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you
plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest
decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the
Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of
doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing
if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do
good to everyone--especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians
6:7-10
James, the brother of Jesus, wrote to
believers everywhere about spiritual planting and harvesting. Being a
peacemaker is an honor and a great gift. Jesus spoke about those working for
peace as being called the children of God (See Matthew 5:9). Planting peace in
others hearts takes an earnest and loving devotion to the Lord.
And
those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of
righteousness. James 3:18
Don’t be misled was Paul’s advice.
Being a peacemaker is not an easy task—but nothing is impossible with God. Are
you open to being used by Him?
Prayer ~ Lord, we know
that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to
the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy
Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to
be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day
when our Heavenly Father will give us our full rights as his adopted children,
including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we
were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it. But if
we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and
confidently.) Romans 8:22-25. We do eagerly await Your return, Lord. The hope
of the harvest. Come Quickly.
Daily Bible Reading: Romans 11-13
Only
15 Days Until Christmas
© 2019 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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