Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus, undeterred, went right
ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to
commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in
this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have
commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day,
right up to the end of the age.”
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
When I was a child, the local
Young Business Men’s Association (YBMC for short) held an annual Easter
egg hunt in our city park. There were several prize eggs hidden
amongst the “real” ones…and these could garner the person who found them
a live baby chick or a bunny rabbit to take home. My sister, brother
and I never got either one!
A year or so ago, my best friend (and
former neighbor) and I were discussing this, and she was talking about
how she always got a prize egg. She said, “I can’t believe that my
daddy didn’t make sure that at least one of you three went home with a
prize egg. He was a member of the YBMC…he would surely have made that
happen!” I told her I felt quite sure that my mother made sure that
this didn’t happen…and when I asked her, she readily confirmed my
suspicion! Mother must have threatened our neighbor within an inch of
his life if it even looked like one of us might pick up a prize egg and
bring home a chick or bunny!
Another friend, J.R., related to me
last year that because his family ran the local feed store, the chicks
came to them prior to the egg hunt. And somehow, one year, several
ended up at his house. It was cold, and J.R.’s grandmother took pity on
the chicks, so she let them come inside…which was a royal disaster.
The chicks that survived were ultimately relocated to a farm on the
outskirts of town, and J.R. and his brother, Larry, visited them there.
Here’s
where I’m headed…it was one thing to win the prize egg and be awarded a
chick or bunny…but there was work to be done afterward! It didn’t end
with the glory of the found treasure! And the same can be said for our
salvation and Eternal life in Christ!
I sometimes worry that
people might think twice about following Jesus if they really understood
just what true Christian discipleship entails! And I don’t say this
lightly or to imply that people should NOT give their hearts to Jesus.
But we really do a poor job of nurturing new believers…and even some of
those who have grown “long in the tooth” since their initial commitment
to follow Christ. We cannot claim the victory and “prize” and then fail
to take care of the “reward,” which no doubt accounts for countless
mothers and fathers scrambling to make sure that their children did not
“win” a chick or bunny at the annual Easter egg hunt!
My point is
this…NOTHING compares with becoming a true child of God by committing
your heart to Jesus. The most liberating and wonderful thing anyone can
do is to confess his/her sins to Jesus and feel Him wash them all away
with His own blood. The promise of spending Eternity in Jesus’ presence
is the greatest gift we will ever receive. But in exchange for all of
this, God wants us to nurture His “Gift”…to grow in our faith and share
the Good News with others. He wants us to “feed the sheep” and tend to
those in need…to share in the joys and triumphs, trials and sorrows of
everyone we encounter.
Jesus could not have been plainer when He
told us to go and make disciples of all nations. And we have to start
in our own back yards. Like winning the prize at an Easter egg hunt,
too many of us want to claim the victory in Jesus - and then “leave the
prize at the park.” We cannot do this! We must do whatever God tells
us to do…go wherever He sends us…and minister in whatever way He
instructs – to everyone He puts in our path. Nurturing a baby chick or
bunny may have been too much for some parents and children…but feeding
God’s sheep is a small price to pay for the glory of the LORD and
promise of Eternity with Him in Heaven.
When it comes to
Christian discipleship, we don’t get to pick and choose – or to “rig the
game.” And aren’t we glad?! Where is God calling you to disciple and
minister in Jesus’ name today? Are you listening? Are you ready to
take His hand and step up and out – to feed His sheep and further His
kingdom? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label ministering to others in your own back yard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ministering to others in your own back yard. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 20, 2014
Matthew 9:35-38
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever watched a child play with bubbles? You know the ones I'm talking about - those in the bottle or tube with the little wand that has a circular band on the end for creating delicate - and elusive - prismatic spheres that quickly drift away or fall to the ground and burst. Children are often all about catching those bubbles and holding onto them for a few seconds. But their attention quickly turns to the next batch.
I'm afraid this is just how we Christians often treat new believers. We are so invested in them...so concerned about their spiritual future...so eager for them to invite Jesus to be the LORD of their life. We want to add their names to our membership rolls at church and share their story with others. We are excited about their decision and hold them up as examples of how Jesus can work in the lives of others. And then we are done.
This is how we interpret Jesus's challenge to be "harvest hands". We're a lot like the child with bubbles...or a kid opening presents at Christmas or on his/her birthday. Each package holds our attention for a few minutes...and then we move on to the next one. In my opinion, many of the "confused and aimless" to whom Jesus refers in this passage are not the "lost"...at least not in the sense of this word that we generally recognize.
Take a good look at the prayer list for your church. How many of those folks do you know personally? Have you not only prayed for them, but also connected with some of them...sent a card, made a phone call, dispatched an encouraging e-mail or just offered a hug or handshake when you met them in public? Take a mental inventory of those who attend your church - or rather, attended. Where are they now? If they have stopped coming on Sunday, do you know why? What about that person in your circle or the community at large who seems to have dropped off the face of the earth? Have you made any inquiries about these folks? Are their hearts bruised and hurting? Are they sick or in need of some kind?
What about the elderly and infirm? Are they shut away in a facility or at home, and no one other than paid employees or immediate relatives are checking on them to let them know that they matter? Are we so busy flitting from one "pretty bubble" or gift to the next that we have neglected the "sheep" in our midst? I honestly believe that when Jesus "visits our towns and villages", He is grieved at how quickly we lose interest and focus in those who are in our own back yards.
Remember the story in Luke 15:3-4 of the "lost sheep", and how Jesus talks about going after one out of 99 that was missing. Each person is precious to Him. We all matter! Our transformation in Jesus is instantaneous...and at the same, we are ongoing "works in progress". We all need continual nurture and care. And as much as Jesus seeks "harvest hands" to bring more people into a relationship with Him, He wants us to cultivate strong discipleships and kinship among fellow believers.
We desperately need real "harvest hands"...believers who are awake, alert and "dialed in" to the needs of those in their midst. In every "town and village", there are sick, bruised, hurting and lonely people who are hungry for a touch of Jesus' love and care...and YOU may be the person He has chosen to deliver it. Will you be so busy blowing new bubbles that you fail to recognize those all around you?
Are you ready to get your "harvest hands" dirty for Jesus? Don't you think you should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever watched a child play with bubbles? You know the ones I'm talking about - those in the bottle or tube with the little wand that has a circular band on the end for creating delicate - and elusive - prismatic spheres that quickly drift away or fall to the ground and burst. Children are often all about catching those bubbles and holding onto them for a few seconds. But their attention quickly turns to the next batch.
I'm afraid this is just how we Christians often treat new believers. We are so invested in them...so concerned about their spiritual future...so eager for them to invite Jesus to be the LORD of their life. We want to add their names to our membership rolls at church and share their story with others. We are excited about their decision and hold them up as examples of how Jesus can work in the lives of others. And then we are done.
This is how we interpret Jesus's challenge to be "harvest hands". We're a lot like the child with bubbles...or a kid opening presents at Christmas or on his/her birthday. Each package holds our attention for a few minutes...and then we move on to the next one. In my opinion, many of the "confused and aimless" to whom Jesus refers in this passage are not the "lost"...at least not in the sense of this word that we generally recognize.
Take a good look at the prayer list for your church. How many of those folks do you know personally? Have you not only prayed for them, but also connected with some of them...sent a card, made a phone call, dispatched an encouraging e-mail or just offered a hug or handshake when you met them in public? Take a mental inventory of those who attend your church - or rather, attended. Where are they now? If they have stopped coming on Sunday, do you know why? What about that person in your circle or the community at large who seems to have dropped off the face of the earth? Have you made any inquiries about these folks? Are their hearts bruised and hurting? Are they sick or in need of some kind?
What about the elderly and infirm? Are they shut away in a facility or at home, and no one other than paid employees or immediate relatives are checking on them to let them know that they matter? Are we so busy flitting from one "pretty bubble" or gift to the next that we have neglected the "sheep" in our midst? I honestly believe that when Jesus "visits our towns and villages", He is grieved at how quickly we lose interest and focus in those who are in our own back yards.
Remember the story in Luke 15:3-4 of the "lost sheep", and how Jesus talks about going after one out of 99 that was missing. Each person is precious to Him. We all matter! Our transformation in Jesus is instantaneous...and at the same, we are ongoing "works in progress". We all need continual nurture and care. And as much as Jesus seeks "harvest hands" to bring more people into a relationship with Him, He wants us to cultivate strong discipleships and kinship among fellow believers.
We desperately need real "harvest hands"...believers who are awake, alert and "dialed in" to the needs of those in their midst. In every "town and village", there are sick, bruised, hurting and lonely people who are hungry for a touch of Jesus' love and care...and YOU may be the person He has chosen to deliver it. Will you be so busy blowing new bubbles that you fail to recognize those all around you?
Are you ready to get your "harvest hands" dirty for Jesus? Don't you think you should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 5, 2012
Matthew 10:5-10
Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:
“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.
“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Today marks a major milestone for my family. My grandmother – Mam-ma Polly – the matriarch of my family… is celebrating her 100th birthday. Imagine all she has seen and experienced since November 5, 1912. Some of it you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy… hardships, tragedies, and disasters of all kinds. But if you asked her what frames her life… she would probably list three things… her Heavenly Father, her family, and her friends.
My grandmother has “traveled light” all of her life. She never had much extra money in her pocket… she and my grandfather eked out a living on their meager farm by working “day jobs” – often more than one – in town. But when I was a little girl, I thought they were rich land barons! This was due in large part to their incredible charity and service to others. To say that my grandmother has lived generously would be an understatement.
My grandmother probably missed more than a meal or two in her lifetime, and she often had to purchase things “on credit”… but she never missed a payment. She was incredibly responsible in all things. She used her always-gloved “harvest hands” to reach those in her neighborhood. She ministered to the sick, lifted the sagging and dying spirits of those who were losing heart, and reached out to those many would consider “untouchable.” One of her first questions when she met new people was, “Where do y’all go to church?” This was often followed by “Would you like to come for dinner/supper?” or “Would you like a mess of turnip greens… some purple hull peas?”… or whatever extra produce she had grown in her garden.
I will be the first to tell you that my grandmother is something of a “character.” But she has also been a tremendous role model for the “harvest hands” of Jesus. She never left the country, but the effects of her missions and ministries were far-reaching. There are now days when she asks, “Why am I still here?” and I always tell her, “Because God is not done with you yet!”
I pray that I can be as effective as my grandmother in using my “harvest hands.” If each of us made a conscious effort to “travel light” and concentrate on doing the work of Jesus, we might find the road ahead of us a little easier, in many ways. When we shift the focus from ourselves and our own needs to those of Jesus and reaching out to others in His name, a lot of what we thought was important suddenly seems incredibly insignificant.
Where is your focus these days? Are you more concerned with what is in it for you and dramatically bursting on the scene to save the world for Jesus? Or are you humbly and generously meeting the needs of the lost, lonely, and needy in your own midst… and offering them a loving smile, a healing touch - or even food for their stomach or their soul? You don’t have to live 100 years to leave a legacy of “harvest hands” for Jesus. What is important is that you make the most of every year God gives you. How are you doing these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:
“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.
“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My grandmother has “traveled light” all of her life. She never had much extra money in her pocket… she and my grandfather eked out a living on their meager farm by working “day jobs” – often more than one – in town. But when I was a little girl, I thought they were rich land barons! This was due in large part to their incredible charity and service to others. To say that my grandmother has lived generously would be an understatement.
My grandmother probably missed more than a meal or two in her lifetime, and she often had to purchase things “on credit”… but she never missed a payment. She was incredibly responsible in all things. She used her always-gloved “harvest hands” to reach those in her neighborhood. She ministered to the sick, lifted the sagging and dying spirits of those who were losing heart, and reached out to those many would consider “untouchable.” One of her first questions when she met new people was, “Where do y’all go to church?” This was often followed by “Would you like to come for dinner/supper?” or “Would you like a mess of turnip greens… some purple hull peas?”… or whatever extra produce she had grown in her garden.
I will be the first to tell you that my grandmother is something of a “character.” But she has also been a tremendous role model for the “harvest hands” of Jesus. She never left the country, but the effects of her missions and ministries were far-reaching. There are now days when she asks, “Why am I still here?” and I always tell her, “Because God is not done with you yet!”
I pray that I can be as effective as my grandmother in using my “harvest hands.” If each of us made a conscious effort to “travel light” and concentrate on doing the work of Jesus, we might find the road ahead of us a little easier, in many ways. When we shift the focus from ourselves and our own needs to those of Jesus and reaching out to others in His name, a lot of what we thought was important suddenly seems incredibly insignificant.
Where is your focus these days? Are you more concerned with what is in it for you and dramatically bursting on the scene to save the world for Jesus? Or are you humbly and generously meeting the needs of the lost, lonely, and needy in your own midst… and offering them a loving smile, a healing touch - or even food for their stomach or their soul? You don’t have to live 100 years to leave a legacy of “harvest hands” for Jesus. What is important is that you make the most of every year God gives you. How are you doing these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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