Faithful, Effective, Efficient?
June 2013
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
Greetings in this Season of Pentecost! Pentecost is the longest portion of the Church year and its color is green to symbolize the continuing growth of the Church.
The Church grows in the same way as your garden! You need good seed, which is the Word of God! Perhaps you remember getting seeds to sprout by keeping them in a wet paper towel? The Word of God always has life, but to exhibit its true purpose, it needs soil (only one letter off from soul). You need to water the soil (Baptism) and feed it (Lord's Supper).
As all earthly illustrations quickly fail when attempting to explain God, this one does as well! Unlike our gardening, the soil does NOT provide the essentials that the seed needs, God's Word both roots in our soul and nourishes the soul in which is grows. Water (Baptism) is not needed continuously as in our gardens, but instead it opens a well that provides springs of everlasting life. The nourishment of the Lord's Supper, as well as Baptism, comes from the same seed that was planted, the word of God! The 'produce' that comes from what springs up in us both feeds us and is to be used to sow in other lives!
Some soils are easier to grow in than others. Some 'fields' have been in the 'family' for generations and are well prepared for the seed. Others have never been tilled, or have become overgrown by weeds (sin). Still other soils have been 'poisoned' becoming to alkaline or acidic due to past events. Some people even put down 'barriers' to keep anything from growing in an area! Not wanting to risk even a single seed getting in.
In our earthly gardens, we don't waste seed by planting in bad soil!
God's 'gardening' strategy is entirely WRONG by the world's standards! He calls us to spread the Seed without concern for the condition of the soil/soul. He knows that some will fall on hardened ground and some on shallow soil! He says spread it there anyway! For in God's garden, the power is not in soil, but in the Seed! He calls us to focus on faithfully spreading the Word! God doesn't measure on how effective our spreading was, or how efficiently we spread the Word, He calls us to be faithful!
God even warns us to be careful in weeding His garden too zealously! Saying let the Tares grow along with the Wheat and that they will be sorted out in the final harvest.
Here at Calvary we are working more effectively and efficiently in using the offerings and gifts that God provides, but we must always remember to be faithful to the calling He has given us to spread the Word in the hearts of our people, our students, their families and our community! It is our prayer that God may use YOU as a worker for the harvest! For all around us the fields are ripe unto harvest!
How do we grow? By letting God's Love shine on us in Worship, by reseeding (being in the Word), by re-hydrating (Daily remembering our Baptism), by reenergizing via the Lords Supper and by sharing with others God great mercy and grace!
See you in Church!
Pastor Kelly
Phil. 4:8
