Passage of the Day:
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together, John 4:27-36.
Reflection:
If you have ever tried to fast for a doctor’s appointment, before a procedure or combined with prayer to meet a spiritual need, hunger pains can become overwhelming. Subsequently, when Jesus’ own disciples hear their leader talk about food, their minds immediately assume someone brought Jesus a meal. However, in the context of producing spiritual fruit, words from the Bible, uplifting music and fellowship with other Christian believers satisfy a human being’s spiritual hunger. This is the living water that led a Samaritan woman and her entire family to faith in Jesus.
Prayerful Action:
Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor,” John 4:37-38.
Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:
The life of a farmer involves getting up at the crack of dawn and working until the sun sets. Farmers with animals are up earlier to milk cows, collect eggs or let their herd out to pasture. The more farmers put into their farm often is directly related to the fruits produced in the future. While you may be tempted to sleep in, skip a day of work or take an extended break, keep pressing on to do the work behind the scenes so that spiritual fruit will be conceived in your life.
Song of the Day:
In this age of gender confusion and pronouns, hard work remains the best option for bearing spiritual fruits. This is the paradigm of sowing and reaping: the more you sow spiritually, the more you will begin to bear the fruits of the Spirit.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 