#WordForTodayDevotional
Saturday April 29, 2023
IT IS ABOUT BEING FAITHFUL
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
John 4:36 (KJV)
Understand that there is no failure in the harvest field. Winning souls involves both “sowing” and “reaping.” Yahushua used these terms in talking to His disciples as recorded in John 4:35-38. Exactly what is the difference between “sowing” and “reaping?” Sowing is the work necessary to enable the seed to enter the ground so that one day harvest is reaped! In agriculture, sowing involves preparing the soil and planting the seed. In winning souls to HaMashiach (the Christ), sowing likewise involves preparation and planting: (a) In which the hearts are being prepared for the reception of the gospel. (b) In which the hearts are first introduced to the gospel and its principles. Reaping is the actual “harvesting” of what has been sown. In agriculture, reaping is the collection of the fruits which have produced by the sowing into the barn or storage facilities for preservation. In winning souls, reaping is that harvesting which occurs when souls who have had the Word planted in their hearts decide to obey it and are subsequently planted in the local church! What is important to appreciate is the statement quoted by Jesus in John 4:37, “One sows and another reaps.” Those who sow do not always witness the reaping that may one day occur. And many times those who reap are benefiting from the efforts of those who did the sowing before them. In evangelism, this means that often times you will be sowing the seed and it may appear that you are not getting any results. But some time later those souls you were trying to reach may decide to finally obey the gospel and another Christian may actually do the reaping in your place! Then again, there will be times when people just sort of “fall into your lap,” ready and anxious to obey the gospel with little effort on your part. In this case, you are reaping what others have sown! The point to keep in mind is that evangelism involves both “sowing” and “reaping,” and there will be times when what you sow will be reaped by someone else. Let this be an encouragement to you when it appears that you are not reaping as you would hope. You might actually be making it much easier for some brother or sister in the future!
