Wednesday 1 Aug 2012

Wednesday Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 3:6
6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Devotion:
The one thing that I should never aim to claim is that I am in some way able to make seeds grow. I, on the other hand, can live my life so that God can use me to do His work and whilst He does not require me for any work, He is willing to use me so that others may be encouraged through me. It is God that is doing the planting, sowing, reaping and He that is increasing His church, but He is using people like us to do that! That to me is another humbling thought, that God is using a person like me to reach out to others and bring them in to the same relationship that I have with Him.

I do feel very privileged that Christ has chosen me as one of His servants, as one who will be used to fulfil a single step in someone else coming to know Christ. I know that He has chosen me because of the love that He has given me toward others and it is not just those wonderful and beautiful people that He has brought into my life, but also those ‘hard nuts’ that seem impossible to reach – but He brought them into my life almost a decade ago and they continue to play a part in my life. My ministry to them has changed over time as they have grown from children to adults, but my love for them has remained a part of me and my life. I know that it is God who has given that love to me because others around me continually wonder at how I could keep coming back for more. To me it is simple – God requires and I follow.

When we take care of plants in our garden or even in pots in our houses we are the ones watering and caring for them; we may not have planted the seeds that started the growing and we may not see the end results, but we are caring for them here and now. We are fulfilling a role as laid down by God, a role that is necessary in order for the circle to be made complete. God has given us different roles and different gifts so that we can work together to fulfil His will.

And it is that working together that is what is important to me. Like Moses, I don’t feel like I have the wherewithal to be able to do God’s work, but I do know that with certain people in my life I can achieve a whole lot more. But in order to do that I must work with other people that God has chosen. I must trust that He has chosen the right path for me. I must trust that His Word will continue to show me His righteous ways so that I can fulfil His role for me in this life with confidence.

Points to Ponder:
Who’s goals do you seek?

Are you seeking God’s role for you through His Word?