Think it over. Are you living every day as if it’s your last for His Glory? Do you remain balanced, cheerful, winsome, and stable, anticipating His return?
From 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
Grace
Unconditionally planted
Rising with purpose
Faith’s emptiness now fed
Fulfilled
Faith’s
Seeds scattered
Night and day
Growing fully, then ripening
Harvest
Sowing
Tiniest seed
Maturing into fullness
Faith nurtured by Spirit
Righteousness
The German hymn, “We Plow the Field and Scatter,” was written by Matthias Claudius in 1782. The lyrics were set to music in 1800 by Johann A. P. Schulz. The hymn was translated into English in 1861 by Montgomery Campbell.
As you listen to this song, focus on the lyrics as they appear on the screen. They add a meaningful visual image to this series of poems. The hymn’s piano melody is played by Mary Munson.
In my weakness, I have learned, like Moses, to lean on God. The weaker I am, the harder I lean on Him. The harder I lean, the stronger I discover Him to be. The stronger I discover God to be, the more resolute I am in this job He’s given me to do.
From Joel 3:16: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”
Joni Eareckson Tada (born 1949) is an American Christian author and radio host. Much of her work has focused on ministry in the disability community. Her life journey is a living testament to this quote.
From Psalm 92:12-15: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, showing that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
Our Father, our Creator
Sowing faithful seeds of grace
Bearing Spirit’s endless fruit
Upon every earthly place
Father’s love thaws frozen heart
Enriching trust with each gift
Bringing hope into darkness
Faith’s ship no longer adrift
Father’s divine plan transforms
Sending His Son in harm’s way
Knowing glory to be praised
Calvary’s cross won’t delay
Father’s peace walks with Jesus
Reconciling wayward hearts
Proclaiming new creation
Freshness of faith, grace restarts
Father’s breath shall never rest
Stirring color without gray
Planting righteousness from light
Salvation rises this day
From 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: “For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And He died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for the One who for their sake died and was raised.”
Although we may want our difficulties resolved immediately, what we really need is a bigger vision of God, not fewer problems.
From Jeremiah 32:17-18: “Ah Lord God! It is You who made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You. You show steadfast love to the thousandth generation.”
An elderly man steadily works in his backyard, raking up some of autumn’s harvest of red maple leaves. The quiet, afternoon air is punctuated by angry and upset mumbling coming from the neighbor’s yard.
Walking over to the fence, the former teacher listens while a much younger man unsuccessfully tries to start up his lawn mower. The neighbor, in his late twenties, has been facing extra pressure and longer hours at the small business he operates.
Pausing and then sending some words of encouragement over the fence, the quiet man offers some advice, “Does the mower need a new spark plug?”
A quick reply comes back, “I never thought of that.”
The conversation continues back and forth for a few minutes. The young man confesses his frustration at work has brought a heavy burden on him as well as his family. He is married with a young daughter.
The wise neighbor adds some gems of wisdom before they both go back to their separate chores, “Hang in there. God’s using these difficult days to prepare you for a more successful tomorrow. He’s equipping you with tools which will help you to bear fruit.”
The young man replies back, “Thanks. I appreciate your advice as well as your testament from the Lord.”
With the rake in his hand, the elderly man prepares to step away from the fence, but he returns and offers a prayer for the young man, “God, grant Tim the serenity to accept the things he cannot change, the courage to change the things he can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Both men say their final words, and return to their respective yard work.
As the retired teacher continues to rake more of the stubborn leaves into a series of small piles, he hears the lawn mower start up with a roar. Obviously, the young man has changed the mower’s spark plug, and it is now running as it should.
At the same time, Tim feels the spark of God’s Word bringing him patience and encouragement for today as well as for tomorrow.
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Originally published October, 2020.
Preach the Gospel to yourself every day.
From Lamentations 3:21-22: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Jerry Bridges (1929-2016) was an American Christian author and speaker. In his autobiography, God Took Me by the Hand, Jerry said, “When I was seventeen years old, it seemed as if God took me by the hand and said, ‘Come with Me.’ And for more than sixty-five years, God has, as it were, continued to hold my hand and lead me in the path He has marked out for me.”
From Deuteronomy 5:12-14: “Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work.”
Keeping His Sabbath Holy
Cherishing God’s blessed day
Strengthening our faith journey
Worshipping Commandments’ way
Submitting to Father’s way
Following His righteous road
Rescuing us from darkness
Relieving our burden’s load
Supplanting with mercy’s load
Praising Resurrection’s flight
Proclaiming Jesus as Lord
Allowing in grace-filled light
Trusting faith’s heavenly light
Walking daily with God’s Son
Shining His mercy upon
Stepping boldly now as one
Joining together as one
Sowing forgiveness of sin
Healing our relationships
Hearing Christ’s spirit within
From 2 Corinthians 4:5-6: “For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Light will shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
To make this thing called life work, we gotta lean and support. Especially in God’s family . . . where working together is Plan A for survival.
From 1 John 5:1-2: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.”
As Christians, we are to emulate Jesus’ submission to the Father and spirit of servanthood. We may never be applauded for our work here on earth, but our reward is in heaven.
From Matthew 20:26-28: “It will not be so among you, but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Big Sky Buckeye 