MORNING MANNA            2-21-21

Have you ever bitten into an unripe persimmon? It’s an experience you will never forget – it’s the ultimate pucker! Have you ever watched someone try to swim for the first time? Have you ever listened to a choir’s first rehearsal of a song they never heard before? It’s not an enjoyable experience. However, as sour, bitter, and unpleasant as these things are given time they become something delightful. The transformation from disgusting to delightful takes time.

There’s a lesson in this for us. Rather than rushing for results, wisdom waits. As Christians involved in ministry we sometimes get frustrated and discouraged because we don’t see any results of our labor. That causes some folks to give up and quit. We sow one day and expect to reap the harvest the next but it doesn’t work that way. Ask any farmer and he will tell you that all we can do is prepare the soil, plant the seed and water. After that we must wait while God works. Only after He adds His wonderful work are we able to reap the harvest and eat the fruit. While we wait God works and time proves it’s worth the wait.

It’s unfair to judge our work or the labor of others until the harvest is past. Until then we need patience. To prevent discouragement we must ponder the promises of God and be encouraged by them. One of the greatest in this regard is 1 Cor. 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” The law of sowing and reaping doesn’t just apply to fruit, grain, and vegetables. It has a spiritual application as well.  Gal. 6:9 -10 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.“

If what we do is for the glory of God it shouldn’t matter whether or not we see the results that we desire. While that would be thrilling and a reason to rejoice we should not get discouraged because we don’t. We make a big mistake when we don’t wait upon the Lord. You can apply that to every area of your life and you should. Running ahead of God we run headlong into trouble. Do what you can and then wait for God to do what you can’t. – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346