Monday September 21, 2009 WORSHIP WITH WORKS!
Jesus told them, "My food is to do what the one who sent me wants me to do and to finish the work he has given me. "Don't you say, 'In four more months the harvest will be here'? I'm telling you to look and see that the fields are ready to be harvested. The person who harvests the crop is already getting paid. He is gathering grain for eternal life. So the person who plants the grain and the person who harvests it are happy together. In this respect the saying is true: 'One person plants, and another person harvests.' I have sent you to harvest a crop you have not worked for. Other people have done the hard work, and you have followed them in their work." John 4:34-38 Do you feel like He is talking directly to you, or is it just me? There is much satisfaction that comes to our spirit when we are doing what God created us to do. I can't tell you the number of days I sit at this computer writing without even thinking of food or experiencing the churning of my stomach. There is genuine joy that bubbles up when the Holy Spirit and I merge while doing what God calls me to do. I believe that is what Jesus was referring to. We are people of the flesh; we tend to think of eating and sleeping - a - lot! One of my aunts (God rest her soul) used to say, "You know, it makes me sleepy to eat and hungry to sleep!" Needless to say she was a large woman, of which I can definitely relate! However, we all know there is more to life than eating and sleeping - right? This is why Jesus began talking about the "harvest." These people well understood about the gathering of food, but Jesus wanted them to understand the gathering of souls. He wanted them to take a good long look at one another and relate to this shamed woman and get a clue of what they were called to do. In their line of ministry there would be no applause from people, the applause of Heaven would be their only motivation. I need to be reminded of this quite often. God is telling us that He wants us getting involved in the lives of hurting people. It isn't enough to give them a hug at church. We must get involved in their lives by inviting them into our homes to dine with us; or whatever it is the Lord calls you to do. It is hard work to begin with, but it doesn't take long to find true nourishment in being able to say each day "mission accomplished!" As a child I remember going into the garden with my mom and gathering beans. Later, we would sit and pop those beans together and while we were doing that mother would share funny stories from her childhood. Yet, the part I liked most was eating those freshly harvested beans. In the same way, we must work with the people God sends us to harvest and then enjoy them as we see them mature into the people God created them to be! That, my friends, is worshiping God with our works! Oh, Lord, how we have failed to work in Your vineyard. Forgive us. We need direction and discernment to know which way to turn today, but we trust You to guide the way. We want to be laborers worthy of being hired. O. Addison Gethers e-mail address [email protected] [email protected] twitter URL http//:twitter.com/OAddisonGethers Messenger contact window live/msn messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS rs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
