Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 

Proverbs 6:6-8 

Ants, lowly creatures in the scheme of things, have a productive life. Lord knows we have plenty of them around our house, scurrying to gather food for winter and prepare for the future. Solomon uses them to exemplify the difference between sluggards and industrious people. The Lord created us to work and gives each of us a unique purpose. Pursuing life with Christ reveals our divine tasks, ones only we can fulfill. 

“And when I run, I feel His pleasure. To give it up would be to hold Him in contempt. You were right, it’s not just fun. To win is to honor Him.” Eric Liddell⁴ 

Eric Liddell ran in the 1924 Olympics to glorify God. After winning gold, Liddell moved to China, becoming a missionary. Dying in 1945 from an inoperable brain tumor, the Olympian spoke his last three words, “It’s complete surrender.”  God wants our whole life, disciplined and focused on Him, doing His work. Whether we run in the Olympics or raise our children to know Jesus, we each have divine tasks to complete. Once we fulfill our duties, the Lord will call us home to glory.  

Don’t waste the time the Lord gives you. Seek Him and discover His purpose for your life. Sometimes, God only reveals the next step; other times, He gives us divine vision; either way, we have a job to do. Like the ants, we prepare for the future one day at a time as we do the jobs God created us to do.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for creating us for a purpose. Please guide and direct our steps, revealing Your will for our life as we follow You.  Let us complete our divine tasks well, honoring You with all we do. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ 

Jeremiah 5:24 

Jeremiah chapter five investigates Jerusalem’s morals, diving into the ingrained sin of the nation, which leads to the revelation of the low spiritual state of the people. Instead of heeding the Lord’s gracious calls to repent, the country refused to submit to God’s sovereignty. And just like that, Jeremiah reveals the same struggle we have today. Staying surface doesn’t dig into the depths of our hearts to reveal the ingrained sin we all have.    

Picking up our crosses means we must die to our selfish desires—and we all have selfish desires. A friend called me a Pharisee yesterday because I questioned his heart’s motivation. As I said to him, we are all sinners needing grace.    

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” Prov. 12:1  

Fearing the Lord means acknowledging His sovereignty and our sins. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior begins a journey into the depths of our soul, revealing the darkness within and exposing it to God’s light. Looking at the good, bad, and ugly in our lives takes work and doesn’t happen quickly, but it does transform us. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for searching our hearts, revealing our iniquities, and recognizing our need for Jesus. Please help us keep our eyes focused on You, giving us the strength we need to deny ourselves and pick up our crosses. Let us experience a regular harvest of love, joy, and peace as we submit to You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. 

Isaiah 9:3

Promising total redemption, Isaiah prophesizes the coming joy as Israel experiences total deliverance from their oppressor. For us, redemption comes through Jesus, who rescues us from our sins, cleans up our mess, and frees us from the struggles of this world. Life comes with suffering. Every person you meet today has hidden challenges. Just because you can’t see their pain doesn’t mean they don’t have it. Learning how to control our emotions and hide our misery comes with maturity.  

Writing from a booth in a local restaurant, I wonder about the people’s struggles around me. At noon, a man sits alone at the bar, drowning his sorrows in a margarita. What does he want to forget? Or why the three people to my right have animated faces over their topic? And the older couple who requested a table change, what story hides within them? Each of them has burdens no one can see and heartaches that cause them to lose sleep. Viewing them through God’s lens makes me wonder what He knows that I will never know.  

Because the Lord knows the struggles we face, the temptations we endure, and the heartaches we suffer, He sent Jesus to redeem us. In Christ, we have hope that waits for us. As my pastor says, “The first 100 years are a struggle; the rest is all glory.”  We can rejoice in the glory we will one day experience and persevere because we know today’s struggles won’t last long. One day, we will enjoy freedom from our pain, healing from our heartache, and indescribable joy as we bask in the glory of the Lord. 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, thank You for Jesus and the glory that awaits us when You call us home. Please help us keep our minds tuned to You, especially when our struggles overwhelm us. Let us live in the light of Your glory as we trust You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

James 3:18 

As an amateur gardener who only grows “hardy”  plants that survive my futile attempts at gardening, I’ve learned a few things about flowers and vegetables. For a seed to thrive, it needs certain conditions; the right temperature, soil, moisture, and light all play a part in its outcome. Too cold, the seed stagnates; bad soil does not allow it to thrive; too much water causes it to die, and plants can’t grow without light. Growing a healthy garden takes a lot of effort and the Lord’s help. 

When I tried to start a vegetable garden from seed, I used our upstairs window as my light source. Setting up a card table beside the glass panes, I planted the seeds using old egg cartons filled with dirt. The amount of work it took for me to grow those seeds gave me a new respect for farmers. The little crop didn’t do much; not all the plants grew to maturity, but I did receive a small harvest.  

Planting the seeds of righteousness in peaceful soil will yield peace. But we must prepare the soil of our hearts to receive the seed by allowing the Lord to search our souls, illuminate any lousy soil, and shed His light into the dark places. Daily time with Him waters the seeds and helps them grow the fruit of righteousness, which we can share with others. With intention and perseverance, we can produce a harvest of peace.    

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for helping us produce the fruit of righteousness by creating peaceful soil in our hearts. Please show us any bitterness or resentment we need to get rid of today so that we can pass Your peace on to others and plant good fruit. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 

Hebrews 12:11 

Regular chastisement leads to a harvest of righteousness and peace.  Every day, the Lord corrects me in some way, shape, or form.  Most days, His lessons come in the way of nudges from the Holy Spirit, a word spoken in haste, an action that didn’t communicate love or an errant thought that needed addressing.  At other times, the correction hurts more and causes me to wrestle with the Lord as I strive to find His will. 

When the tenth anniversary of my nephew’s death occurred, I struggled.  The gravity of the loss swept over me, and I did not feel like loving anyone.  With a short fuse and little patience, kindness took work.  By Wednesday of that week, my humanity reared its ugly head, and I did something I regret, and the Lord chastised me.  At that moment, I did not feel joy; I felt sorrow.  But as I worked through the situation, seeking restoration, I found God’s peace again.  Doing the right thing, putting God first, and living for His approval transformed me as I learned the lesson and restored the relationship. 

Sharing my faith publicly holds me to a higher level of accountability and helps me mature in my beliefs as I follow the Lord. I can only fulfill my divine mission by honoring God and serving Him with discipline and correction. 

No matter when we turn to the Lord, He loves us in our sins.  But He doesn’t let us stay there.  As we give our lives to God and follow Jesus, He begins to discipline us, molding us into new creations.   The correction doesn’t feel joyful at the moment, but as we learn the lessons the Lord has for us, we will discover a harvest of righteousness and peace. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for loving us enough to correct us, help us mature, and prevent us from staying stuck in our sinful ways. Please give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your disciplines, training us to become more like Christ as we submit our lives to You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 

1 Corinthian 9:10-11 

Paul addresses the question of supporting God’s servants as they labor in their work. Giving his life to the Great Commission and sharing the Good News with the world, Paul argues that the church should support the efforts of those working for the Lord. Quoting Deuteronomy, the apostle makes his case:  

“Do not muzzle the ox when it is treading out the grain.” Deut 25:4  

In ancient times, while the oxen pulled the threshing sledge over the grain or treading it with their feet, the farmers fed them while they did their work. Placing a feeding bag over their mouths, the oxen received nourishment as they labored. Paul argues that caring for the cattle teaches us about the Lord’s care for us. Just as the plowman and the thresher expect God’s blessing when they do their work, those laboring for Christ expect the same as they share in the crop.   

We need physical nourishment for our bodies to serve the Lord. As an ex-flight attendant, the company trained me to put an oxygen mask on myself before helping others do the same. If I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t help others breathe. In the same way, we need to support those working for the Lord, sharing the gospel. Helping nourish their physical bodies through tithing to the local church supports their mission and their bodies to do the work God called them to do. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a mission and the resources to complete it. Please help us willingly support those working hard for You.  When we see a need, allow us to meet the need, spurring Your laborers to do great things for You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 

John 4:35-36 

Sowing and reaping coincide. Giving our lives to Christ provides us with the reward of eternal life.  

“For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” C.S. Lewis³ 

As people give their lives to the Lord, they reap the benefits of life with Jesus. No one group does all the reaping, nor does it happen in just one era. We glean from the generations who went before us, sowing seeds of love that turn into decisions for Christ. While we sow new seeds in the lives of people around us, the ones we planted long ago come to maturation as people submit their lives to Jesus, becoming part of God’s family.  

Like the farmer rotates his crops, planting some in spring and others in fall, tilling the soil, and watering the seeds, we do the same each day. As we engage with people around us, we look for opportunities to sow seeds for Christ. Developing relationships helps us water what we have sown with the hopes that they will grow and flourish into fully devoted followers of Jesus.  

Eternity started long before we gave our lives to Christ. The present moment connects us with the eternal story unfolding around us. We work for the Lord daily until He calls us into our eternal glory. With urgency, we should scatter God’s seeds of love to everyone around us, looking for opportunities to help them grow and multiply, spreading the excellent news of Christ to the world. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us eternal life with You and a mission to accomplish on Earth. Strengthen us for the journey, and let our hearts overflow with divine love so that we can sow seeds that reap eternal rewards. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Allow both to grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” 

Matthew 13:30 

Scattering weeds among the crops, the owner blames the enemy. Realizing that trying to separate them before the harvest causes extra work, the owner tells them to wait until time to gather the wheat. Binding the plentiful tares, another name for weeds, together and burning them gets rid of the pesky plants; they will no longer contaminate the grain.   

From a worldly perspective, the enemy scatters lies that take root in non-believers’ hearts and cause them to miss the truth of Jesus. Only with God’s Spirit can we discern the weeds from the crop, following Christ and receiving eternal life. Not until the final judgment will the Lord separate non-believers from believers. Until then, we can pray for those who believe lies to have eyes to see and ears to hear the truth, discover Jesus, and allow Him to transform their lives.  

Satan blankets our world in a web of deceit. Playing on emotions, the enemy leads people astray with subtleties that closely resemble truth. Planting honest seeds in people’s lives, praying they take root in good soil, and watering them with love will help them discover Jesus. When the harvest comes, God will separate the weeds from the crop, and they will perish in the fire. But until then, we can pray for them to see the truth, discover Jesus, and find eternal life in Him. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of Jesus. As we move through our days, help us share what we have found with others. Soften the hearts of non-believers, till up the soil of their soul, and let them receive the truth of Christ. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. 

Proverbs 26:1 

“Honor inappropriate to fools,” begins the commentary on this verse in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. A smile adorns my face as I think of my week and the “fool” I encountered. When visiting a favorite restaurant, the perfect storm of an unexpected rush, lack of servers, and my long day created an unforeseen issue. The manager handled the situation poorly and got himself into trouble, speaking without thinking and letting his emotions rule his actions. God used the experience in my life to practice grace and, once again, reinforce that I can do hard things.  

My heart aches for the manager because I have done what he did and allowed my emotions to control my actions, creating problems for myself. Thankfully, God’s grace gives me a second chance and will enable me to try and do better the next time. The Lord doesn’t honor fools, but He does give them opportunities to grow, and as His followers, we should do the same. Remembering what Christ did for us, fools in our sin, helps me to let go of my selfish desires and put on the cloak of Jesus. Without Him, I wouldn’t have life and have it in abundance.  

We all encounter fools and act foolishly. Human imperfection leads to bad decisions and emotional responses. Walking with Jesus allows us to learn from our mistakes and try again. As we accept the Lord’s grace, we receive it to share with others, remembering that none of us deserve the forgiveness Christ gave us on the cross.  

Fools don’t receive honor, but they do receive grace. And sometimes, we must extend it, even when we don’t want to do it. What Christ gives, He expects us to share with others. 

Prayer: 

Lord, forgive us for acting foolishly. Please help us learn wisdom as we seek You, accept Your grace, and extend it to others. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear our foolish ways, looking to You for wisdom to do better. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters. 

Proverbs 25:13 

Referring to the refreshing breeze from snow-capped mountains, a snow at harvest brings life to a weary soul. Like a cool drink on a hot day or a cold cloth on a forehead, it instantly brings relief.   Anyone who faithfully relays good news revitalizes the soul and spurs people on their journey.  

Paul, the beloved writer of most of the New Testament, constantly brought good news. Writing from prison, chained to a guard, the apostle faithfully wrote letters of encouragement to the fledgling churches. Thousands of years later, his letters continue to invigorate and strengthen Christ’s followers daily.  

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13  

Ten words from a faithful messenger, found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, refresh the soul and apply to any situation. Meditating on Paul’s words helps us continue to share the good news with others despite the circumstances we face.    

What is the good news? Christ died for all; He offers salvation to everyone, Jew and Gentile. Through forgiveness of sins, Jesus connects us to our Creator and gives us eternal life. We have everything we need in Him to face the day’s challenges and live life to the fullest. Like a cool breeze on a hot day, the good news of Jesus refreshes the soul and strengthens us for the journey. With Him, we can persevere.    

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the good news of salvation through Jesus. Please give us opportunities to share Christ with all we meet, becoming faithful messengers like Paul. Let us refresh others with the good news of Jesus. 

IJNIP. Amen