Serving the Lord through Our Harvesting

Examining Scripture:

“Not slothful in business;
fervent in spirit;
serving the Lord;”
Romans 12:11

Evaluating Soil:

Sowing and reaping sounds like a well thought-out plan. God’s Word clearly teaches this principle. It makes sense. Put something in, get something out. When we sow good things, we reap good things. When we sow bad things, we reap bad things.

However, serving isn’t always about “what” we reap. “Who” we are serving seems to be of great importance too. Serving in this world isn’t all about us. Our personal, relational, and business efforts and agendas aren’t just “things to do” tasks meant to fulfill our desires or dreams.

Our purpose as Christians is far greater than our acquiring earthly gains and serving ourselves. Our lives are to be driven in service to the Lord. This Creation we live in, and the soil we glean from, is actually God’s garden and we’re here to walk in it with Him, and tend it for Him.

Experiencing Seasons:

Fruitfulness is a great motivator for me. I dutifully sow effort when I desire to see progress and accomplish projects. It’s when I feel I’m going in circles, or backwards, and find my efforts have been wasted, or in vain, that I lose my zeal. Plainly put, working, without results or reward, stinks.

When I plant new plants in my container gardens, I check them every day for buds and growth. When they finally bloom, I get giddy with excitement.

Likewise, when I get to help and encourage others or share Christ with them, I hope, pray, and wait. Then, I get excited when there are answered prayers, renewed hope, heartfelt change, and a new or renewed fellowship with God. Reaping for the Lord brings a spiritual satisfaction that serving self does not.

Embracing Solace:

Receiving fruit from our labor is a gift from God. It gives us purpose and hope.

It’s comforting to know you’ve helped someone meet a need or accomplish a task. There’s also great solace in knowing we’ve served God by helping others come to know Him.

Enjoying Simplicity:

Spending our energy and efforts fulfilling our own desires can become exhausting. Especially when our focus is on:

• Wanting more
• Making more
• Managing more

Working harder or longer to indulge our lives can drain the life right out of us.

When we serve God’s way for His purposes, we gain a vibrant energy and direction that is uncomplicated, less burdensome, and much more fulfilling.

Employing Solutions:

Desire makes us get up and get going. It makes us hope and work fervently, without slacking off, which helps us accomplish the outcomes we long for. Producing the fruit God wants from our lives should be done with the same fervency.

It can be easy to get so focused on the fruit we want to harvest, then forget who we’re gardening for. We can get distracted from our service for God by becoming preoccupied with our ambitions and agendas.

We must remember that our fervency in spirit should produce godly fruit, that, in return, nurtures our well-being and enables us to help others for God.

Taking care of ourselves, our families and homes, and caring for the needs of others is how we physically serve our Creator. The fruit we produce and harvest is to bring glory to God. When we serve Him, we reap the benefits He has for us.

Bring It Home

What are we sowing and reaping today? Is our service producing fruit for the Lord?

Praying for you as we grow together,
Smiles, BRC