Thursday, October 12, 2017

"We Are All Needed For The Kingdom Come" - 10/12/17 - 1 Corinthians 1-4




"I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow.

It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow.

Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages.
What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving.
You happen to be God's field in which we are working.

Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation!

Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ." (3:6-11)


When I was quite young, one of my chores was to make sure the watering trough for the pigs was full. It was old, made of cement, with wide edges containing the water. Edges wide enough I could stand on them and as the water poured in from the well I would spend my time waiting by "preaching" to the pigs. I can't remember the words I said to them. I can vaguely remember my arms and hands moving about with passion. Looking back now, I smile, thinking I probably was quite the spectacle. 

I can't remember how many years I had this desire to preach. I do know I didn't have any converts or baptisms in the watering trough from my "congregation".

The silly things we do as children. 

Sadly there were years His fire, deep inside of me, died down to an ember within my heart. At times it almost went out completely, but thankfully our ABBA breathed into my soul and His fire has been back for the past 32 years.
 
Raging within me. Consuming me. It has taken me years of letting go of "my" way and following His, before I am now confident what my role is in The Kingdom Come. Content in where and how He is using me through the season of this life as His seed planter.  As His encourager.

As Paul writes, there are many jobs in the building of His Kingdom, and our ABBA is The Contractor. The One who calls the shots. Our Savior is whom we build upon. Our solid foundation. 

The Holy Spirit guides us to know what tools He has given us to be used for Him. His Word equips us with The Wisdom to put these tools to work - planting, harvesting, building. 
How much I love looking about and seeing how He uses each of us within His Family.  For Himself and each other.
 
Each and every one of us has been given a purpose. gifts. talents.

Each and every one of us.
 
Does it ever take your breath away that The Creator of all is utilizing "us". 
What a blessing and honor.

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