Planters and Gardeners


Psalm 126:6     Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carry sheaves with them.

Matt 13:30     Let both grow together until the harvest.  At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.

Luke 8:11-15     “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.  Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word form their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.  Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root.  The believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.  The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature.  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Luke 10:2     He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.    

1 Corinthians 3:6-10     I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

2 Corinthians 9:6,10     Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. . . . Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Galatians 6:7-9     Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 

Lately, I have had the opportunity to talk about Jesus to others.  I don’t do it well, unless I am with other believers.  I find I am stilted, and not confident in my presentation, which has been a lifelong issue for me.  I tend to watch for a long while before engaging.  I am not ever comfortable initiating a contact other than a smile and a greeting, but not a full conversation.   It’s on my prayer list to have the Holy Spirit give me that confidence and ability, as I truly admire those in my life who can freely start that with strangers.

Yet I know it is vital, and potentially lifesaving to tell people of the freedoms and blessings He has given us by His death—on the cross—suffered for OUR sins–none were His–His burial, His resurrection, and His ascension.  He frees us from the penalty of death in Hell for eternity and affords us eternal life in heaven instead.

I have so many friends who are brilliant at opening these conversations.  They are not pushy, but confidently and with assurance they ask if the other is a believer or knows Jesus.  I have always felt my speaking abilities more resembled Moses before he gained his confidence and had to depend on Aaron.  I am still depending on others to open the door to these conversations, then I can add how blessed I am.  That’s frustrating to me.   Anyway, it’s on my prayer list that the Holy Spirit will help me with this. 

I know that someone plants a seed by telling of Jesus, His life, His death, His burial, ascension and resurrection.  That seed may not initially be broken and nourished in the ground, very soon to sprout, grow and share its abundance.  Different seeds take different times to mature and flourish.  But there must be seed planters, gardeners who can water, weed, (answer questions that someone might have–a mistaken impression concerning God, Jesus and eternity), give support and love, showing how Christ lived and wants us to live.  Show how one can have the assurance of life in heaven after the physical body dies, when all illness will be healed, and we will have a new body and be spending our eternity with God. 

The planters and the gardeners are only Christ’s workers.  It is God who brings this person to need Him, to reach for Him.  Our tasks are to tend and weed, but we are not the redeemers.  We can only rejoice when that happens—but it is NOT our accomplishment.  We are just field workers.

I find I get frustrated knowing so many in my circle do not believe and are not fully invested.  That is scary for me.  I love them and without the commitment to Jesus as their Lord and savior, they can die without the assurance of life ever after in heaven.

We all face eternity; it is not death and you turn into just ashes—that is your body, but that is not your soul.  It is your soul that has an eternity, and “being a good person” is not good enough in God’s eyes.  He wants to love you, bless you and free you from stress and anxieties and give you the assurance that you will have life in heaven if you ask Him to be your savior, and welcome Him into your heart.  And He is more than happy and excited to say ‘YES!’   He wants us all, but has given us the ability to choose or not to choose.

He created the world and all in it with a breath.  Certainly He is worthy of our love, thankfulness and our attempts at obedience.  We are never THERE, we still sin, make mistakes, and have to confess our wrongs, but we have the assurance we are forgiven.  But this Creator, created all, including plants, trees, and us, so He is familiar with planting seeds and waiting for the blooming and blossoming and harvest. 

I just wish I was better at initiating the conversation.  But maybe, as I’m writing this, God is saying, ‘but I know you have the strength of giving compassion, guiding, and walking beside’ rather than jump starting the conversation.  But we each have our jobs, paths, strengths, and I know I hesitate starting conversations with anyone new to me.

Anyway, have you wondered if you are a planter or a harvester?  I’m good at putting in bulbs, rhizomes, or seeds after the holes are dug, then I can water and care for and appreciate the yield, but am not in introducing.  Maybe someday.

Lord, I thank you for all you have blessed me with and can recognize lots of growth, but I still want more—but according to Your will.  Thank You for your continued blessing for me and’mybellaviews.’

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