Today’s Readings: Exodus 4-6; Galatians 6
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Ga 6:9–10). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
I have said Galatians is my favorite book in the Bible and Galatians 6:9 has always been a favorite verse. I repeat it often to myself and to others because we often grow weary and sometimes wonder if the good we are doing is making a difference. It is! You may not be able to fruit that your labor is producing because the harvest is in your future but don’t give up. There will be a day when you will reap the rewards of your hard work and rejoice! Psalm 126 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (verses 5,6).
I remember singing “Bringing in the Sheaves” when I was a child in church. I used to wonder what it meant. Sheaves are not an image we are familiar with nowadays. We use them sometimes for Fall decorations, but they used to be a familiar sight at harvest time as farmers would gather the grain and stack the stalks together in the field. This served a practical purpose but it was also a tangible reminder that it was worth it all. All the hard work. The waiting. The weeping. That’s all over now and it’s time to celebrate and rejoice! Friends, there is coming a day when all of this world’s worries will be behind us and we will be glad that we served God’s purpose.
The missionary C.T. Studd wrote a poem about these two lines: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” Two little lines, indeed, but filled with eternal significance! Paul encourages us not to give up but “as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” Have you been weary? There are others who are weary as well. Encourage them and do good to them. Hold up their hands and find some practical way to demonstrate the love of Christ. “Bear one another’s burdens,” Paul says, “and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Are you weary? Then hear God’s Word: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). In Exodus 6 the people of Israel “did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery” (verse 9). I get it. Sometimes it’s hard to hear that God’s got something good planned for your future when you are hard pressed by the problems of the present. In fact, have you ever felt like things go from bad to worse? That’s how Israel was feeling. Moses had told Pharaoh to let God’s people go. Not only did Pharaoh refuse, he increased their burden! This led Moses to complain to God, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I cam to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (5:22,23).
Chapter 5 ends there, but look (or listen) to God’s response in 6:1, “But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’” Just you wait and see, Moses. Now I am about to deliver my people! It’s at the point of our greatest weakness that God demonstrates His greatest power. That’s intentional. It’s so that He gets the glory. So be encouraged, Friends, you are close to a breakthrough because God is near to the weak and weary. Don’t give up! It’s going to be worth it all.