NURTURING FAITH
07th Jul 2021
It is the time of sowing and reaping, in both the natural and the spiritual. Galatians 6:7 says, “A man reaps what he sows.” Our gardens are growing rapidly, both the flowers, vegetables and weeds! However, after the sowing and before the reaping comes the nurturing.
I have been growing tomatoes every year for as long as I can remember. As a young boy I was given the task of watering the tomatoes every day, and I suppose the habit has stuck. However, a few years ago, we had been away on holiday and I had to leave the task of watering the tomatoes to others. When I returned everything looked good and I was assured that they had been watered every day. When I looked at the fruit more carefully I discovered a black spot on the almost ripe tomato. I immediately took a sample to my local garden centre to find out what had happened. The answer was simple, “Intermittent watering.”
I immediately forgave the willing volunteers, didn’t even tell them the issue, but learned a lesson. The tomatoes need caring for every day if there is to be a healthy crop of beautiful ripe red tomatoes. I have also realised that when we are sowing love and prayer into situations we need to nurture that prayer every day.
Galatians 6:9 continues, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” When we are praying into challenging situations, we declare our place of faith, and we stand our ground, but we do not give up praying.
We must not let setbacks or discouragement drive us off our place of faith. At this moment we are sharing with many others in prayer battles for some very dear friends going though very challenging situations. In Ephesians 6:13 we are encouraged to stand firm against the attack of the enemy, “and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Between the promise and the fulfilment there is the battle of faith. When there are setbacks don’t lose your confidence, keep nurturing your faith and look forward to the victory; the fruit of faith.
by Charles Sibthorpe
