Along the same theme as the last blog posted here, I want to speak to the idea of delayed gratification. I just finished an amazing time of sharing part of my testimony and challenging approximately 100 students at a school here in Guatemala, to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and to choose HIS will for their lives! I got to share in Spanish and, though my Spanish is very basic at best, I was able to communicate with passion and clarity. The Holy Spirit was very present and I sense that conviction was given to the hearts of many youth listening!
Due to other work obligations, I was unable to stay after giving the challenge. However, I am certain that as the professors opened up a time for decisions for Christ to be made, several may have been convicted to come forward… probably not all, but several. And for others, I believe a seed has been planted for the glory of God. This seed may take time to become rooted in their lives, but it is firmly planted!
As I think about planting seeds, I realize what a great analogy Jesus used when He referenced this! While the seed we plant is the Word of God and truth of a need for a love relationship with God through Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, this seed may take a long time to take root. Several seeds may never grow nor bring forth fruit. Others may encounter lots of ‘weeds’, challenges of life that try to choke out the life of Jesus Christ within us. But in time many of the seeds planted WILL bring fruition!
Though it is delayed gratification to wait for the Word of God to take root in some hearts and bear fruit, none should ever disparage the work of planting seeds! God’s Word is a seed of great fruit, and I believe it is a very important work to do evangelism, to share the Gospel; to wait upon God and trust Him for fruits and results in His timing, even when and if we don’t personally get to see those results!
I want to encourage and challenge you today… Are you planting seeds for the glory of God?! The gift we have of a love relationship with Jesus Christ is not meant to be a private possession nor kept a secret! If we truly know Him and His love, then we can not NOT share it! We must! It is important work!! Plant seeds!!
