Sowing and Reaping
Sometimes in Christiandom, I think we rely too heavily on the Lord for our benefaction. What I mean is that we stick our hands in our pockets, beseach the sky, and then wait for the manna to fall. Now, if God leads us out into the wilderness, strips us of all our resources, and forbids us of doing anything but waiting on Him, then by all means this is reasonable and necessary behaviour. If, however, we are not mandated by the Almighty to do so, then staying our hand from sowing and reaping is more than unreasonable and lazy; it is sin.
"God will not do our part, and we cannot do His." -Mike Bickle.
It seems obvious, yet at times people who call themselves faith based forget this principle. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Why, then, are we afraid of working, living, and interacting in the secular system? How else are they to know the Lord is we refuse even to associate with them? And how are we (I am speaking here of state side missionaries) exempt from earning a living from what we do when God Himself set up the laws of sowing and reaping? And if we aren't reaping for what we sow, what condition of growth is not being met that is robbing us of our harvest? These are my questions as I look at my financial situation right now.
To clarify some back ground, I work 26 hours a week. The general break down of those hours are four hours leading the prayer room, two hours practicing hospitality by facilitating tea time, 18 hours watching over the prayer room and SHOP in general as quad leader, and four hours spent in meetings and service times. I'm not doing well at raising my own support for this. The times I have asked, I haven't gotten any response. I think my approach has been wrong because I haven't gone face to face. I've sent letters, blogs, and other things. I have one monthly supporter and recieve a small stipend. The heart is there, but the funding is not.
I know I haven't asked much, but every time I have attempted to ask for financial support, I have fallen flat on my face. I have some debt from my previous marriage, none of which my ex is going to pay back. Well, what I do is not paying the bills right now. So how do I go about planting so it will pay the bills? How do I ask in a way that will be well recieved, or is my provission in another field? Or does my job function need to change so the crop produces instead of being killed before it has a chance to grow? These are my questions as I look at the New Year and what it holds.
What is God's part? What is my part? And how does this dance move work? "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."
"God will not do our part, and we cannot do His." -Mike Bickle.
It seems obvious, yet at times people who call themselves faith based forget this principle. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Why, then, are we afraid of working, living, and interacting in the secular system? How else are they to know the Lord is we refuse even to associate with them? And how are we (I am speaking here of state side missionaries) exempt from earning a living from what we do when God Himself set up the laws of sowing and reaping? And if we aren't reaping for what we sow, what condition of growth is not being met that is robbing us of our harvest? These are my questions as I look at my financial situation right now.
To clarify some back ground, I work 26 hours a week. The general break down of those hours are four hours leading the prayer room, two hours practicing hospitality by facilitating tea time, 18 hours watching over the prayer room and SHOP in general as quad leader, and four hours spent in meetings and service times. I'm not doing well at raising my own support for this. The times I have asked, I haven't gotten any response. I think my approach has been wrong because I haven't gone face to face. I've sent letters, blogs, and other things. I have one monthly supporter and recieve a small stipend. The heart is there, but the funding is not.
I know I haven't asked much, but every time I have attempted to ask for financial support, I have fallen flat on my face. I have some debt from my previous marriage, none of which my ex is going to pay back. Well, what I do is not paying the bills right now. So how do I go about planting so it will pay the bills? How do I ask in a way that will be well recieved, or is my provission in another field? Or does my job function need to change so the crop produces instead of being killed before it has a chance to grow? These are my questions as I look at the New Year and what it holds.
What is God's part? What is my part? And how does this dance move work? "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."
I don't think that working for God is lazy, irresponsible or sin. If he has called someone to full time ministry, that IS sowing. Now if someone sits on thier tookus all day long and does nothing as far as being personally productive, that is different. Raising support is hard work. I dont think anyone I know is opposed to working in a secular system, they simply believe that they are called to 24/7 worship and intercession. This is not irresponsible. Some people do not express much desire to do this in fundraising efforts, but in some cases, God has told them not too. just some thoughts to chew on.
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