CREDIT: Lewis W. Hine, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
A devotion I read had this little anecdote about a church sign in “farm country.” It said, “Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing.” There’s a lot of truth to those words. It shows faith in God’s promise to hear prayer. And it reflects the truth that God gives us all gifts to be used to fulfill His will in the world.
Jesus began His ministry without any disciples. However, as He gave people the gift of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) the number of disciples grew. Then He let His disciples witness His divine power through healings, mastery over nature, and exorcising evil demons (Matthew 8-9). But these gifts simply set the stage for what Jesus truly intended for His disciples. Yes, He wanted them to believe in Him and His work. Yes, He wanted them to follow His example and live according to His teachings. But, more importantly, He wanted them to use these gifts to lead others to saving faith in Him.
Jesus selected twelve of His disciples to be Apostles, from the Greek word ἀποστέλλω (apostello) which means “sent out.” They were to go into the world using the gifts He’d given them to say, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) Jesus taught them to pray and called them do so that God would save the lost sheep of Israel. He also called them to be the means, the workers, God used to bring His kingdom to fruition.
Two-thousand years later, we’re Jesus’ disciples. God has blessed each of us with many gifts, including the gift of saving faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We know God hears and answers our prayers. However, we also need to realize that we are quite often the answer to prayers — our own and others. As we pray for family, friends, and neighbors to come to Christ, remember to “keep on hoeing.” God has gifted us to faithfully work the fields, so He can bring in the rich harvest.
In Christian Love,
Pastor Jim