Sowing and Reaping

Do you feel like giving up when you don't see your prayers answered? I do. You pray and pray and even fast but there doesn't seem to be any result. Part of you wants to go on hoping that your prize is just around the corner but another part says, 'Give up while you can; you don't need the heart-ache.' Sometimes you pray and get an answer but it looks nothing like the answer you were expecting. I want to encourage you not to give up. Your prayers are not wasted. They are not a lost cause. In fact, it's when all seems lost that you must not quit!

Think about the farmer getting ready to sow. He prepares the soil for seeding. The work is hard and the farmer puts in many hours of sweat and toil. When the soil is ready, he carefully deposits the seeds in them. Once the seed has been incorporated into the soil, the farmer can safely retire from his labour.

For a period of time, all is quiet.  Every morning the farmer looks over his fields where he has sown but sees nothing; no results. If there is no visible outcome for what he has put in, has his investment failed? But while there is no movement on the ground's surface, below the dirt, strong roots are emerging, and pushing downwards in search of moisture. The tiny seedlings burst out of their jackets and begin their upward climb seeking to free themselves from the weight of the soil they are under. But none of this happens immediately or overnight.

There is a period of waiting; a time where the farmer has to exercise patience, self-control and perseverance. Patience because he can do nothing to quicken the process but allow nature to take its course. Worrying doesn't make things move along any faster either. Why self control? Because he must resist the urge to dig them up to check if roots are showing. Can you imagine what will happen if he did? He risks aborting the germination process and all his efforts will be lost.  And perseverance because he cannot give up tending the ground - to keep it sufficiently watered, weeded and free from known pests.

All  of this requires a measure of FAITH. The farmer does not depend on a random chance or luck that something will happen to make the seeds grow. He knows they WILL. It is an established science that repeats itself no matter how many times the farmer does it. It is a formula that works.

God's word cannot fail because God cannot fail. His reputation is tied up in His word. Do you know the One who you have committed your prayers to? Jesus said if our earthly father knows how to give good things how much more will our Father in heaven give to those who ask Him? He is trustworthy to do all He promised. God is fully capable of doing what He said He would.

We are not sowing our prayers in the air where strong winds blow them away.

We are not sowing our prayers in the sea where shifting currents wash them away,

But we are sowing them in the rich soil of God's  FAITHFULNESS and LOVE.

And we know God NEVER fails.

What are you sowing? Where are you sowing? How are you waiting?

My Redeemer is Faithful and True

Remembered this song from yesteryears from a Christian singer called Bobby Michaels, who has since passed on. I used to play it often in my early walk with Jesus. I played it again today and discovered the words mean as much to me today as it did so many years ago. I especially love the part, 'and in every situation He has proved His love to me; when I lack the understanding He gives more grace to me.' 

Lord, thank you for your stubborn love over me. For not giving up on me. For proving your love over and over again in my life even when I least deserved it. For keeping your promise even when I failed in keeping mine. For being patient when I've thrown tantrums like a child. For loving me completely, unconditionally and perfectly.

My Redeemer is Faithful and True

As I look back on the road I've travelled, 

I see so many times He's carried me through; 

And if there's one thing that I've learned in my life, 

My Redeemer is faithful and true. My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Chorus

My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Everything He has said He will do, 

And every morning His mercies are new. 

My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

My heart rejoices when I read the promise 

'There is a place I am preparing for you.' 

I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face, 

'Cause my Redeemer is faithful and true. 

 My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Bridge

And in every situation He has proved His love to me; 

When I lack the understanding, He gives more grace to me. 

Words and Lyrics by Stephen Curtis Chapman & James Isaac Elliot

I'm Still Looking Up...

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmm ...

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

Beautiful

When my actions are misunderstood,
and my words are misconstrued.
When my love is unrequited,
and people accuse me of unkindness
When the past and present stand in judgment
and I feel unloved and unlovable all at the same time.
When I no longer like the person in the mirror,
but I don't know what to do with myself

God surprises me with His exquisite beauty,
captivates me again with his unchanging love
He is beautiful and that's all that matters.






Kari Jobe's 'Beautiful'

Here, before Your altar,
I am letting go of all I've held
of every motive, every burden,
everything that's of myself.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh beautiful

here in Your presence,
I am not afraid of brokenness
to wash Your feet with humble tears
oh I would be poured out till nothing's left.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are, who You are

Beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh Lord You're beautiful, beautiful beautiful
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

Speechless

I took a silly "Which bible book are you?" quiz on facebook and answered inane questions like what kind of curtains I like and how I would pass an hour of free time and what is the first thing I do when I wake up (which is brush my teeth!) . And this was the result of my honest answers...

EXODUS - Passionate about justice, you can't be at peace until you've done your best to help the oppressed. You are not afraid to speak truth to power, though you've paid the price for doing so. You will sacrifice for the good of others; you're a true servant-leader. You do not rely on your own power. You don't have to. You've seen Providence step in to change what looked like disaster into victory. At the same time, you've suffered and been lonely as a result of your refusal to go along with the crowd. You know that the great plan is beyond our limited comprehension, and what looks like a loss to you may eventually turn out to be a win.

I was speechless.

My darling girl

I am suffering from emotional stress. My breathing is laboured and just last week i felt it choking the very life out of me. I had to see Dr. Mike. He said i am headed for a nervous breakdown if i don't deal with it. Seems like I've been dealing with it forever. How long Lord? How long must i suffer the unjust practices of so called 'godly' men? Forgive you said. Let it go. Bury the past and don't look back. I do but i see it again & again.

What is forgiveness? It's cancelling the debt owed to you. It's choosing to bear the consequences of someone else's sin. It's accepting the pain of betrayal while releasing your offender from the punishment he deserves. It's a very noble thing to do. It is for that reason, Jesus is my hero. It's why i think Nelson Mandela is a great man. But it's so very very hard.

A counsellor suggested that I feel like this because I have not fully forgiven. Just adding insult to my injury and salt to my wounds. If I am doing it wrong, tell me how to make it right. You think i enjoy this?

I feel unappreciated, unloved, and at times hated without cause. I feel that discrimination is alive & well even in the community of faith today. I feel it's worse if you are female and single because you have none to speak on your behalf. You feel like a liability, a non-entity, a big zero. I say 'feel', coz i want so much to be proven wrong. You give and give to others and in the end your hands are empty. I ask myself, and for what? Spare me the sermons on dying to self. I think i died a long time ago. But if i'm dead, how come it hurts so much?

Last week i broke down. I told God, you had the best years of my life. Now i want what's left. And then i cried some more. I felt i had come to the end of myself. But it's funny. In desperation i called my friend and she's talking but it's his voice i hear. He calls me...my darling girl. I am so FOR you. I break down again but this time i feel his love washing my wounds...healing my pain.

1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

The Bible, Psalm 13 (New Living Translation)