[ Today's Readings ]
but only God, who causes the growth.
That might make it sound like we have no role to play. Isn't it interesting that we hear that we can't take pride in a thing and assume that means we play no part in it? But we do have a part to play.
For we are God’s co-workers;
you are God’s field, God’s building.
We have to be there, so that God can produce fruit. We have to be there, so that his presence can take up residence. We even work. But we are not paid what we deserve. Instead we are given what we need, some of which is the working itself, because the working is loving and we desperately need to love more.
But he said to them, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
The mission itself is what matters. It needs to matter more to us than any earthly thing. It is why Jesus is sent. But we are sent as well (see Matthew 28:19). This needs to actually and not just theoretically matter to us. We can't get by being motivated by how it impacts our self-image. That is a weakness that the enemy is all too ready to exploit.
The world needs the healing that only Jesus can offer.
At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases
brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
He wants us to let him use us to make that offer to others.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.
They in turn jump up to join the work. Together we trust in the LORD.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
So we pray:
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands! (see Psalm 90:17)
No comments:
Post a Comment