John 3:36 “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.”

There is joy in sowing, and joy in reaping. In terms of evangelism, we tend to focus on the joy of reaping, but there can be no reaping without sowing, and there is joy there as well. However, going to the agricultural source of the metaphor, both of those can be hard work! It’s interesting that Jesus here speaks of both wages and joy. In many places the Bible assures us that we will be rewarded for our labors, but on top of that we get the joy and satisfaction of having done the work of God and of His kingdom. And we must not forget that all of this is in relation to eternal life. Our perspective is always limited. We basically see just what is in front of our noses, if we even see that accurately! God invites us to lift our eyes and see things as He does. (He’s explicit about that in verse 35.) We aren’t to ignore the things that are in front of us, but we need to realize that there’s always far more to any situation than what we can see. When we have that understanding, we can rejoice whatever the immediate task might be, trusting that God will work it all out for our blessing and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

Just recently the Lord has been showing me more and more joy in sowing. I have wanted to be a reaper, gathering in the harvest, but the timing of that is God’s business. God has been showing me the joy of expressing His love in various ways, preparing people’s hearts to receive the seed of the Gospel, and then scattering that seed in countless ways. Harvest is indeed exciting, but every step of the process is important, and the better I understand that, the more joy and satisfaction I will have. The Lord has brought people to me that I wasn’t seeking, and that is a reminder that salvation is His business. I’m not to be so Calvinist that I think I have nothing to do with it, but I’m never to think that I can save anyone on my own. He is the source of eternal life! I am to be faithful and diligent at the tasks He gives me, taking joy in the privilege of serving Him, and remember that payday is coming!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for opening my eyes more to the joy of sowing, and even of tilling and weeding. Keep me from giving up in any way, but rather help me to rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, so that the results may be exactly what You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!