” He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” — 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
Just Keep Planting
Our church recently started our prison ministry outreach. This has been an area God has placed on my heart, and personally I have been involved for more than four years. During that time, we have shared the Gospel with more than 350 kids. There are two kids I personally known that have accepted Jesus in their lives. Two out of 350 doesn’t seem like a success to the world, but the seed has been planted. Success is not measured by the results of our action, but by the willingness to be available.
Not every person we pray for, share the Gospel with or love on audaciously is meant to accept Jesus on our watch. We may simply be playing our role in the process in their life. Harvesting is God’s choice, but planting is ours. Let’s always be expectant of how God can move, but not waiting on Him doing so for us to see.
There have been plenty of boys in the detention center who have said to my face, “God doesn’t exist and I don’t need prayer,” only to cry out six months later for His Word. Don’t give up on the people you are ministering to because you haven’t seen the harvest. It might not be our job to harvest, only to plant.
I’m confident that 20 years from now, somewhere and someplace, a young man will be preaching the Gospel to others and telling them he met Jesus for the first time when he was locked up in juvi. We may never know the result of our works but God does. And that’s all that matters.
Keep planting. God will make it grow.
— Erik Olson, Pass the Rock Ministries founder
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
