Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

One word in this very familiar story jumps out at me right now: persevering. That’s actually an essential life skill, but it’s certainly not popular. We like everything to be instant, from fast food to cell phone communication. The level of convenience that has come with technological advances has spoiled us, and we are the poorer for it. On the eternal scale our time on earth is certainly brief, but it can seem very long when we are slogging through it. God has a purpose in everything, and He knows that we need time to mature. He doesn’t want a heaven full of spoiled brats! I find myself repeatedly saying that God doesn’t pick on us, because as true as it is, from our perspective it doesn’t always seem that way. We have a lot of lessons to learn to become the mature children that God desires, and sometimes we can be slow to learn! Persevering is essential if we are to receive that ultimate accolade, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

Perseverance is perhaps one of my few good points. We’ve been in Omura for almost 42 years, and we haven’t given up. As I tell people, I don’t know if I’m faithful, stubborn, or just too lazy to pack up and start over somewhere else. Japan is notorious for being a difficult field of evangelism. Patches of good soil, to go with this parable, seem few and far between. However, that’s no excuse, when God has expressly sent me here to the land of my birth. God has given me an enormous store of seed, having been steeped in the Bible from my birth, and I’m to be faithful to keep scattering it however, whenever, and wherever the Lord gives opportunity, praying and trusting Him for the harvest in His right time, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for those who are indeed producing a good crop, however few they might seem. Thank You for the fruit You have given me. Thank You for pointing out to me this morning that some of it is in ways I hadn’t been thinking about. I pray that I would be fruitful indeed, for as long as You keep me here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!