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"Tending the Soil" by Matt Hastings
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, leaving behind the initial lessons about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of turning from works that lead to death, trusting God, 2 and instruction about washings, s’mikhah, the resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment. 3 And, God willing, this is what we will do.
4 For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, 5 and tasted the goodness of God’s Word and the powers of the ‘olam haba — 6 and then have fallen away — it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt. 7 For the land that soaks up frequent rains and then brings forth a crop useful to its owners receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it keeps producing thorns and thistles, it fails the test and is close to being cursed;[Hebrews 6:8 Genesis 3:17–18] in the end, it will be burned.
9 Now even though we speak this way, dear friends, we are confident that you have the better things that come with being delivered. 10 For God is not so unfair as to forget your work and the love you showed for him in your past service to his people — and in your present service too. 11 However, we want each one of you to keep showing the same diligence right up to the end, when your hope will be realized; 12 so that you will not become sluggish, but will be imitators of those who by their trust and patience are receiving what has been promised.
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When we bought our first home, my wife decided she wanted a garden. The idea of fresh vegetables and fruit made our mouths water. We dug up the soil, bought seeds, and planted our garden. I went to bed feeling like we were soon to be pioneers, embarking on the journey of living off our own land!
Soon, I grew impatient and forgot about the crops. They needed to be tended, tilled, and weeded, but it was too much work for my busy schedule! Besides, it had been months, and we hadn’t seen anything worth eating. Some friends told us that it might take another year or two before we would see any good vegetables or fruit from our garden. I looked at my wife and immediately said, “Forget it. I don’t have the attention span for this!”
Gardens take patience. Your walk with Christ does too. It requires attention–caring, tending, and weeding. The fruit that we will bear in our spiritual gardening might take longer than we imagined, but don’t give up. It’s worth the wait!
-------Soon, I grew impatient and forgot about the crops. They needed to be tended, tilled, and weeded, but it was too much work for my busy schedule! Besides, it had been months, and we hadn’t seen anything worth eating. Some friends told us that it might take another year or two before we would see any good vegetables or fruit from our garden. I looked at my wife and immediately said, “Forget it. I don’t have the attention span for this!”
Gardens take patience. Your walk with Christ does too. It requires attention–caring, tending, and weeding. The fruit that we will bear in our spiritual gardening might take longer than we imagined, but don’t give up. It’s worth the wait!
Hymn for Today: "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" by Henry Alford
1. Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.
2. All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
3. For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.
4. Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.
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Thought of the Day: 2 Corinthians 9:10 He who provides both seed for the planter and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your tzedakah.
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Please Pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Puerto Rico.-------
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