“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:8-11 (NLT)
This passage reminds me of The Gideons International ministry. The Gideons are Christian professionals who are dedicated to “taking God’s Word to the world.” They distribute copies of the Scriptures in over 180 countries involving over 80 languages. They focus their distribution on specific areas of life where large numbers of people may be contemplating life issues and searching for solutions and hope.
Consider this carefully. When we think about ministry, we think about preaching to huge crowds in huge facilities and receiving huge offerings for doing so. We think about going out and building a beautiful edifice.Our focus is on getting them to come to us. We think that if we build it they will come. But only those who already focus on God will come to such a place.
God, on the other hand, thinks about how to reach the greatest number of people by the most effective means in the least amount of time. How do you do that? Let your message fall from heaven like snow and rain. So he calls and uses people, who are not preachers, to sow his Word among students, in hospitals, in jails and prisons, among soldiers, fire, police, medical personnel, and in traveler venues. His focus is on going to where they are.
Remember, no church thought of this ministry. It was so high above human thinking. It was conceived in the mind of God. It is being implemented by those he called and inspired to achieve his purpose. Doesn’t it make you wonder what other marvelous thoughts God is thinking? You can be confident that the Scriptures the Gideons International sow is producing an abundant harvest. That is also true concerning his seed you and I are sowing. God has a purpose and his purpose will succeed.
Dear Father, thank you for the seeds of your mercy and grace sown in our lives. Empower us with the confidence in your Word and enable us to sow it into the lives of others. Protect us with it so that we will not be deceived. Bless all those who sow your Word in this world. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his Word and sow it where we live,