I am a Christian, and I know enough to know that I don't know anything, and what I do know is only because of the grace of God. God is teaching me new things through His Word and His Spirit that lives inside me. This week a piece of scripture moved me and it also is gardening related so that is why I would like to share it.
It is 1 Corinthians 3:4-9 from the New Living Translation
4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
My Interpretation of this Scripture:
Paul is writing to the Corinthians and is explaining to them that just because he told them about Christ and just because Apollos continued that message, they should not say they are followers of Paul or Apollos. They are followers of Christ, their Lord and Savior. Paul planted the seed in their hearts by telling them about Christ. Apollos watered that seed by continuing to preach the good news after Paul planted the seed. But it is God and only God that makes that seed grow in a person's heart. God's holy spirit makes that seed grow, the person who plants the seed of God's word and the person who waters it are only workers for God to achieve the same result.
This passage really moved me this week, it put some things into perspective for me. It is hard when you pray so hard and witness to people that are unbelievers, especially for family and friends. It reminded me that I am not the source of someone accepting Christ and becoming a believer. Only God can make that happen. I am just one of God's workers in His field and he makes the seeds grow in our hearts. We can live our lives in ways that witness to others and we can preach the Gospel but we have to remember it is not about us, but about Him. We are just His workers doing His work in His fields.
Obviously the metaphors here are strongly tied to gardening and easy to understand. If you think about it, in life as Christians and as gardeners, it is a remarkable thing that you can plant a seed whether it be in the ground or in a person's heart. To watch God grow that seed, whether from the ground into something useful, or in a person's heart into a life that is transformed by Christ is something magical and rewarding.
4 comments:
This is an awesome post. There was something in the last Baker Creek Seed Catalog that struck me. It is along the line of thought you are using here: you don't need a miracle for your garden; the seed (and its growth) is the miracle.
Thanks Cristy, I am glad you enjoyed it.
There's a proverb that goes something like "He who makes a garden works hand in hand with God". I think the element of truth in it concurs with your above piece of writing. Thanks Kris, superbly written!
Sfiso, thank you. God bless you.
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