Daily devotional, April 26, 2024 Assembly line worker
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
Whenever we watch news about factories or any manufacturing business, chances are, the video will show an assembly line of workers, piecing together a final product. Each person has a role – an assignment to do, so that the whole line will end up with their desired output.
As followers of Jesus, we can see ourselves as a part of an assembly line of people working to encourage more and more individuals to turn to God. That as we take to heart God’s command to encourage others to follow Him, we ought to realize that our efforts will yield fruit as we work with other fellow followers who also want to lead people to Jesus.
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
2 Timothy 4:2
When we have this type of mindset, we will be less disheartened when our efforts to invite others to church or to bible study, seem to fail. We will get to accept and understand that we are just seed-planters in the Lord’s field and it is up to the Lord to touch the heart of the person we are inviting.
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."
1 Corinthians 3:6-9
In the Parable of the Sower, the Lord explains the four types of soil where seeds are scattered. The soil can be likened to the people, while the seeds are the Word of God.
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:19-23
If we think of ourselves as one of the sowers, then we could at least continue sowing seeds of faith and the word of God on people that we meet. And while some may be ready and others are not, we can take heart that our efforts will not go to waste because somehow, our scattering of seeds could at least make the person aware of God’s word. And since we now understand that only God can prepare and cultivate that soil for planting, then we can just go on with our effort to sow the word of God.
"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
2 Timothy 4:5
If we will think back into our lives, we will realize that it took more than one person to finally convince us to build a personal relationship with the Lord. That there was one person then who invited us to church, we did not have the time back then, and so we did not go. But then after some time, another person came up to us inviting us to participate in a church event. After which another person in our life invited us to a bible study group.
Until we finally said yes to the invitation, and we surrendered our life to Jesus. If we could just be that one person in the line of the many persons that encouraged us to be by Jesus’ feet, then we could be part of God’s kingdom workers who will also encourage others to be faithful to the Lord.
"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
2 Timothy 2:2
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 13:1-8 and 18-23 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you lose heart when you fail to lead others to Jesus?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you very much for assuring me that my efforts count at following your command to make disciples of all nations. Give me the confidence to continue in my efforts to plant seeds of faith to others. Allow me to be one of your Kingdom workers, my Lord. Amen.