Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
It’s no coincidence that Thanksgiving comes at harvest time. What better way to celebrate good weather, sufficient food supplies for the upcoming winter, and a successful harvest, than with a bountiful meal?
The farm-to-table connection can easily be lost as modern day families celebrate Thanksgiving. We may be thankful for a less tangible harvest, but it is still worthy of our gratitude and celebration.
What is the “good” you are investing in, friend? Most likely, your family and your marriage come to mind immediately. Maybe relationships with people God has brought across your path. Perhaps even a ministry that initially brought excitement and eagerness but now feels more like going through the motions, as you slog through to honor commitments.
Whether raising children, growing corn, or loving a (sometimes) unlovable person, there is usually some element of determination to “keep on keeping on” that will be rewarded. Eventually.
Our modern age—one of fast food, instant gratification, constant feedback from social media, and googling anything we want to know right now—makes us impatient to see an immediate return on our investment. But just as popping a seed in the ground today does not mean corn for dinner tomorrow, so the people we are called to love on, pray for, and invest in may not demonstrate overnight change and growth.
Life is often messy. People can be ungrateful. Bad things happen to those who deserve better.
But hope keeps us afloat. Love spurs us on. We may not be at war, but on those days when your life feels like a battle, Winston Churchill’s wartime exhortation applies: “Never, never, never give up!”
Stay the course. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Continue doing the good you were called to do. And when harvest comes—at the proper time—celebrate with great Thanksgiving! Hallelujah!
In our Bible study passage this week, Paul moves on from addressing problems in the Corinthian church to providing insight into questions they asked him. The first questions dealt with marriage, singleness, and sexuality. These were hot topics then – and still relevant to all of us today, no matter our relationship status or history. Whether you are married, single, widowed, divorced, or something else, we pray this week’s teaching is illuminating and empowering.
From all of us at Cross My Heart Ministry,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
We are excited as we look forward to 2023 and new opportunities for Laura to minister to women and encourage them to love God and love His Word. For the rest of 2022, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for our readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request – but do not require – a gift of $20 or more to offset our expenses.) You can mail donations to: Cross My Heart Ministry, 1310 Scout Trail, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.
