GOD'S GOODNESS AND YOUR PERSISTENCE IN DOING GOOD

SUNDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2022

As a Christian, have you been persistent in doing good, making peace, responding positively to harsh words, exercising patience, giving big, building others up, ministering grace to hearers and saying the right things? Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Moreover, harvest may vary, depending on our faith, our heart, the seed, the soil which receives it, as well as the depth or quality of sacrifice, especially in unfavourable circumstances.

Reference: Psalm 125:4 New King James Version (NKJV) "Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in their hearts."

After reading and meditating on this Scripture, what came to mind is that many a time, those who are good and mindful of good works for sacred purposes may experience a delayed reward. Therefore it's like David penned it to mount pressure on God's ability to reward them. However, the Bible says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:7-9 NIV). Why did apostle Paul insert the last verse? It's in case of delayed "rewarding" response from God.

In fact, the Message translation of the last verse, Galatians 6:9, reads, "So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit." This suggests that sometimes, in the face of immense pressure, the godly can get fatigued or feel exhausted doing good. Therefore Paul urges us to persist in doing good, inspite of any mounting evidence of challenging circumstances. This equally implies that no matter the difficulty you may face or encounter, and regardless of any negative force that may oppose you, never entertain shortsightedness. Yes, refuse to lack the imagination or foresight that God rewards those who are good. Got it? Just give it time.

The illusion may be there, when it seems as though you're not experiencing an instantaneous reward but the purpose of this Pauline epistle addressed to the Galatian churches, is to direct and inspire you to focus your thoughts and eyes always on the harvest of your righteous seed sowing. Beloved, it is in vain for a godly man to stop believing in sowing what is right and reaping the reward and testimony of God in due time because of unforeseen display of negativity or unpleasant experiences. When you start rejecting the truth that being good and doing good pay, it means that you're refusing to trust God and beginning to doubt His unfailing Word.

Remember the Bible says, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Galatians 8:22 NIV), meaning that there is a permanent and perfect regulation that governs the assigned time of earthly signs and seasons. Seedtime and harvest are hugely sustained by such superior regulation programmed by the Almighty Creator before the world began. Therefore get smarter than fleeting circumstances or momentary trouble and adversity, when you face them.

In our referenced Scripture, David had to plead with God to do something about the delay because He knew that it is God that commands the blessing. So he says, "Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in their hearts." Simply put, there is a place of prayer in the process in order to activate the blessing or the reward. According to the good pleasure of His will, God wants us to have the mentality that we already have the reward and also approach Him when, from the human standpoint, it seems there is no response, but we must come boldly to the throne of grace because right there, we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16 NLT). Why come boldly? It's because your need has been provided, laid up, and secured for you and it is part of the grace given to you in Christ to obtain the reward. Shalom

Scripture Reading - Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:10; James 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:17.

Exuberant Declaration: I'm grateful because I'm courageously persistent in doing good. By sowing bountifully, I experience spiritual, physical and material blessings, which come as a result of my union with Christ, and I'm supremely blessed for ever. Hallelujah!