GOD’S APPOINTED FIELDS OF LABOR
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 2:7-8 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
[8] And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Psalm 100:2-3 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
[3] Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
There is a source of strength for every born again Christian in the act of service. The Spirit filled Christian is given strength from the Lord to serve, and when we have strength, we find joy for living and purpose for tomorrow. It is possible for our flesh to get tired and weary in our service for the Lord, especially if we are trying to serve in our flesh without God’s Hand upon us. As Christians, it is good for us to be reminded, when we are absent from God’s appointed fields of labor, the harvest of the future has no hope of ever coming to fruition. We were created to live with meaning and designed to face each day with the purpose of being productive for the Kingdom of God. If we choose to neglect or even reject this design then the meaning for living is lost in our busy daily lives. Our supply of joy is found when we fulfill our intended design and embrace God’s purpose for our lives.
In (Genesis 1:28), God blessed Adam and Eve and instructed them to be “fruitful and multiply”. In case there was any doubt, God intentionally tells us in (Genesis 2:8) “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed”. What does this garden represent for us? This garden was man’s place here on this earth where he was to work and bring forth a harvest. It was the Creator’s choice and HIS plan, not man’s. In this ordained place of service, man was consecrated from the rest of the world. God placed him there and in that placing man discovered the meaning of life and why God had put him on the earth. The Lord is always very specific with HIS instruction to us. HE gave Adam a garden and told him to keep it, and to work it and be fruitful. What a beautiful picture the Word of God is giving us as HIS children. We are to work the field God has given us with everything we have and we are to keep it, and bring forth fruit that Jesus may be glorified! If we are to keep our spiritual garden/field and bring forth fruit, it must be worked just like a physical one. We must keep out the weeds, the thorns and thistles, and most certainly the (SNAKES) or (devil); as these are things that will hinder growth or even destroy any work for the Lord. Adam did not keep the devil out and allowed sin to overtake his garden and he paid a great price.
Every day it is our God given duty to rise up and head to our ordained garden to work and serve God’s purpose, that we may impact others for eternity. When we serve the Lord, HE wants us to have eternity before us. It’s this view that keeps our hands firmly to the plow even when the ground is hard, dry and barren because it fixes our eyes on the harvest to come! It’s my desire for you today that you may serve the Lord with gladness as you set your eyes upon the future and the harvest that is to come! It will keep you laboring in love even when people, situations and distractions tempt you to quit. Don’t walk away from your garden, work the field that God has given you and stay the course till Jesus comes. With Heaven before us and so much work to do, we can find our purpose for living.
Bro. Lawrence Longworth
Isaiah 61:1 “the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
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