Joyful Shouting

 

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5-6, NASB)

When Tracy sent me this verse last night, it was a reminder that those who work a difficult harvest will rejoice when the fruit comes in. As I walk through my days, some are spent pouring over the computer. The pouring over can be the hours of labor working on a project or the tears of frustration of trying to get my technology to work. I know in the end that it will all be worth the effort.

This verse has to do with the work that goes into the harvest of souls. Time spent with those who need the Lord can be joyful but they can also be tedious. Sometimes it seems I watch God opens eyes to His Glory but at other times, it feels like no matter how much I work the field that they just don't get it. We are to keep working the field and to know that God is the one who brings the harvest.

Who are you praying for today? Who needs to know the love of the Lord? What is God calling you to do? Keep your nose to the grind and keep doing the work of answering questions or showing the love of Christ...and keep praying for God to bring the harvest. He will. And when He does, we will all shout with joy!

We pray they believe in God's Word

"For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13, New American Standard Bible).

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17, NASB).

What do you believe in? I believe tomorrow the sun will rise and may wake me up before my alarm goes off and that my neighbor will walk her dog around the same time I go for a run. Yet, there is more to believe in, of course.

In the book of 1 Thessalonians, we can read how the Thessalonians received God's Word. They not only heard it, but also believed it as true. God's Word brought a revolution in their lives and community.

As believers in His Word, we believe in who God is and accept the sacrifice Christ made and the forgiveness God offers. Believing in the Word of God can save us from the damage of sin, and God transforms us as we are in a good relationship with Him. We are saved by God's grace, as we respond to His Word by having faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8).

Is there someone on your mind who does not believe in God's Word?

Lord, help this person on our mind believe in You and receive Your Word as true. Help us to continue to learn from and trust in Your Word. Let us experience the positive transformation that comes from believing in You and allowing You to work within us.

"Let the word of Christ dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16, NASB).

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo of Amish Oak Bible Stand from www.dutchcrafters.com.

"Just as you don't know the path of the wind, or how [bones] develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you don't know the work of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don't know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good" (Ecclesiastes 11:5-6, Holman Christian Standard Bible).

This book, Ecclesiastes, has encouraged me this week. As I've been reading it more, it's reminded me to trust God more. He is omniscient; He knows everything in the past, present, and future.  Colossians 3:23 reminds believers to work for the Lord. Our work can be done with peace and confidence in God's lead, knowing that His power is perfect in our weekness (2 Corinthians 12:19).

Today, I'm moving, and I was feeling pretty anxious earlier this week as I thought of things to do to prepare for it. It's relieving that we can rest in knowing that God can give us joy and strength as we go through whatever today. The Holy Spirit is with believers to help. I pray that we remember to trust in Him and to tell others about His work in our lives.

Prince of Peace

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"
(Isaiah 9:5-7, NIV).

God has shown me His leadership and faithfulness this week.  My week has started out feeling like a bit of a rush, since I have started new classes and a new job.  Papers are scattered across my desk, and I am still getting adjusted to waking up early to open the office where I am working.  However, God has been reminding me of His blessings all around, and He has been reminding me to rest and trust in Him.

He has given me a job that I did not think of looking for, where they train me and are taking the time to give me insider tips of how to roam the busy downtown scene.  In class, my teachers have given us time to read and absorb material before anything is due, and they are explaining things in more detail to make sure the other students and I understand.  It is a blessing, even though the week seems to be flying by! 

God  is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and He knows what is going on in this world of people that He loves.  When we believe and trust in Him to take care of and guide us, He will, because we are His sons and daughters.  Praise God!  I pray that we continue to remember that we can rest in Him and share this with others in joy.

"Bring us love, You who are love.
Bring us peace, You who are peace.
We need love, oh, divine love.
We need your peace, merciful peace, yeah"
("Eastern Hymn," David Crowder Band).

Pray, Divide, and Conquer

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ" (Col 3:23-24, ESV).

The semester just started and I admit it, I'm in overload. Anybody with me? One look at my fall schedule and I wonder about my sanity. I am eternally grateful for each and every opportunity, yet it never seems to end. My husband tells me I have a job because there are things to do. If there weren't, they would not need me. I got over someone "needing" me a long time ago.

I do what I do because God has called me to do it. I actually love most of it and the truth is, I do love to work. But the reason I work is to honor Christ. There was work before the fall of man, but after the fall the work just got a bit messier. I'm a sinner, and so is everyone else. Bummer (as my husband says). Wouldn't life be grand if we were all perfect? We could just work work work and all would be well!

I love new semesters with incredible new students, love the challenges of refining my teaching, and love to strive for excellence in all I do. Yet, in my humanity, I can become overwhelmed with the multitude of details screaming for attention. The only way I can deal with it is to pray, divide, and conquer. I pray for God to give me a perspective on things so I can remember for whom I am working. I divide the work into tasks so I can see what needs to happen, and then I go after one thing at a time.

I don't know what you are dealing with today, but I do know that if God has called you to do it, then you can. He will be right there. Let's keep our perspective and remember that we work for the Lord!

You are a blessing to me.
PS. Find life complicated? Sign up for the W conference. http://events.sbts.edu/wconference

between the celery and the cucumber

Confession: this is my first time to blog! I am excited to join you ladies here! Please hang in as I give this a try... :)

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." (Colossians 3:23, New International Version)

After my dad and I tried to beat the rush to the grocery store before the 4th of July, I realized the power in this verse. After weaving through isles of people trying samples, ordering meals for their families, and debating over seemingly endless varieties of pasta, my dad and I reached the cash register with our collection.

A petite brunette with her hair pulled back bagged our groceries and we began to talk. I told her thank you as she bagged, and a couple of moments later she asked if that was my class ring on my hand. I said yes and then noted it was actually my college ring.

Her eyes lit up as she said that she is getting her high school senior ring in about a month, and that she is hoping to go to college to be a nurse. Suddenly, she looked down. She explained that she got into trouble last year, so she is actually a year behind in school.

My heart broke that her disappointment in herself seemed to drag her down. We talked about how much nurses were needed today. Inside, I did not want the past to puncture her confidence in the future. As my dad finished paying, I told her, "You have so much to look forward to now. Best wishes."

That night, I wondered if there was more I could have said to show her God's love. Looking back, I could have encouraged her to put her hope in God. I would have loved to share one of my favorite verses, Isaiah 40:31 (Holeman Christian Standard Bible):

"but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

Every moment counts. I do not clearly see how I will impact the world. Yet, I thank God that whatever we do, even in the hurry of getting ready for celebrations like Independence Day, His light can shine through us!

"For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
'I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles,
to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 13:47, HCSB)