Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
1 Corinthians 9:10
God doesn’t expect us to work for free. Paul addresses the right of the Lord’s servants to receive food, drink, and other necessities of life as they labor for Him.
“Do not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” Deuteronomy 25:4
Using scripture to support his argument, Paul references oxen. The giant beasts would drag threshing sledges over the grain, treading it with their feet. Feed bags, placed over their mouths, allowed them to eat while they worked. When we work for the Lord, producing a harvest, we expect to also share in it.
When God sent Elijah to the King of Ahab with a distressing message because of the king’s disobedience, the Lord provided for him. Hiding Elijah by a brook twice daily, the Lord gave the prophet bread and meat, using ravens to deliver the meals. When the brook ceased to flow, God sent Elijah to a widow’s home, where she never ran out of flour and oil to make bread. The Lord provided for his servant Elijah, and He will provide for us as we seek to do His will. Trusting the Lord means expecting Him to meet our needs and sharing in His harvest.
Wherever God guides, He provides, and on that, we can depend. Paul understands the concept of the Lord’s provision and teaches it to Christ’s followers, helping them know it. We reap what we sow; those who don’t plow in the spring won’t harvest in the fall.
Praise:
Praise God for His provision.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for providing for us as we serve You. Please help us trust in Your provision as we go about our business, laying our anxieties at Your feet and moving boldly forward, completing Your will for our lives.
IJNIP. Amen
