God, I am struck by my own inadequacy tonight. I am reminded that I can't save anyone. I am reminded that as much as I want to, I cannot convince anyone of your love for them. I am reminded that I often don't know the answers to my own questions, let alone anyone else's. How do you survive the pain of a divorce? What do you do when you are convinced that no one ever can or will love you? Where do you find hope when all hope is gone?
All I can do is point them to you. Point them to you who has all of the answers. Point them to you who loves them more than they can ever understand. And when they tell me the reasons why they can't or won't, I need to point to you again.
God, make me as relentless as you are. Help me to never give up pointing people back to you. Help me to find fresh ways to point them back to you. Help me to remember that it is not up to me to convince anyone but it is up to me to point them in the right direction to seek you, relentlessly.
I am all yours God. Thank you so much for showing me your love everyday. Thank you for your power in my life. Thank you for providing for me. Thank you for showing yourself as so real and present every day of my life. Thank you for talking to me. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you God for being in a relationship with me that will last throughout eternity. I love you so very much.
What God Said Tonight:
You are my farmer. You plant, you water, you harvest, but I am the one that makes it grow. I am the purpose and the power behind the growth. You need to plant, you need to water, and you need to harvest but when it comes down to it, I am responsible for the results. If the plant grows or not, that is my responsibility.
You may learn more effective ways to plant and to water. As you do, you will become a more effective farmer and that is good. But never forget that I am responsible for the growth. The growth is something between me and the plant.
I have made many promises to you and have you seen me fulfill each and everyone in your life? You know that I have. You also know that what I do for you I will do for everyone of my children. I don't play favorites. You know these things, don't let anyone talk you out of it. Don't let anyone's struggle make you doubt the truth you know. Keep planting and watering and I will grow them at the rate that is best for them and for the kingdom.
You have seen the streets of Israel in the sunshine and in the rain, even in the snow. You have touched the stones that I have touched. You have seen me do great things in your life and in others. Those are all experiences that help you to trust me and to be in relationship with me. However those experiences on their own are not enough. Those experiences without my power working in your life would have meant nothing to you. It is my power and my presence that makes growth possible.
You farm and do your best and I will infuse them with my power and Spirit. We will have an army like none before.
1 Corinthians 3:5
ReplyDeleteWho do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working.