Yesterday I rode on my tractor all day long – from daylight to dark. I’m sore from all the bouncing and jostling around and more than a little tired. Today I will yet again ride on the tractor all day long, but there is light at the end of the tunnel as I will have completed preparing all my food plots for planting to provide forage for the whitetail and turkey population to feast on this winter.
As I mentioned yesterday, I often like to be alone with my thoughts and even deliberately left my phone at our house to avoid interruptions. Being totally isolated is a great way to pray, and it didn’t hurt that I observed a glimpse or two of God’s creation when I saw a large flock of turkeys and nine different whitetails while plowing. That brought a smile to my face I tell you. I tried to spend most of my time thanking God for all that He has done for me, albeit I did pray for some friends who are struggling with their health right now.
One of the many things for which I thanked God is His blessing on my life in serving Him and impacting others’ lives for His kingdom. Unfortunately, I have been in a rut for several weeks and in part, this is because of Words for the Day. I receive a daily report of subscriptions and lately, I have a few more unsubscribes than subscribes; this despite what I thought were some pretty good posts. I wondered if this trend is because I’m getting older and my outlook on God and life is not relevant anymore. I also thought that there is just so much one can say and perhaps after 23 years I’ve said it all and I have nothing left of interest for you.
Then I thought that rarely does a day go by that some readers write and tell me a particular post helped them in some way. I often do not hear about some of the good that comes out of my kingdom-building efforts. For example, my wife and I built Honey Lake Church several years ago. A new friend wrote and told me that he attended Sunday and three people made decisions to follow Christ that day. He was very complimentary of the beauty of the church and how God was using it to reach people. Frankly, I rarely think about that little church anymore, but nonetheless, God is still using it. I hope Words for the Day and the book I wrote Miracle on Luckie Street are similar in that it offers a ray of hope to a world that I see as being full of despair and in many cases hopelessness.
I suppose Satan is behind some of the discouragement. It is said that Noah preached for 120 years without a single convert. Now either he was a lousy preacher, or his audience had hardened their hearts to God’s word. I feel sure it is the latter. It had to be discouraging beyond the pale to Noah. I’m sure he thought, what’s the use of my getting up every morning and trying to reach people for the Lord only to be met with abject rejection? Nonetheless, he got up every day and urged people to repent right up until the day he closed the ark.
I believe God included that in His word as encouragement to us. We should never give up. If you are experiencing some discouragement in your efforts to lead someone to Christ, just think of old Noah and remember you are in good company. Most importantly I try to keep in mind that it is our job to plant seeds and we need to recognize it is the Holy Spirit that draws them to Himself and makes us grow as believers. As I was bouncing along on that tractor and preparing the soil, I thought of this line of thinking. As soon as it rains I will plant the seeds in the prepared soil, but I cannot make the seeds grow. I can do my part as best I know how, but ultimately it is God (and our own free will) that determines if there will be a bountiful crop.
So, I say all that this morning to let you know that despite discouragement et al I intend to continue writing Words for the Day as long as my health and in particular, my failing eyesight allows. This despite unsubscribes, nasty letters, or no letters. If I can help just one person somewhere down the line, I will consider it a rousing success and time well spent. Of course, I would hope for a bountiful harvest, but God’s definition of success and a bountiful harvest might be entirely different.
I urge you to reach out to those who need it today, especially those who are lost. If you don’t ever plant a seed it can hardly burst forward with new life.
John 6:44
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.