Don’t Grow Weary

Devotion for March 31, 2020

Pastor Karen Crawford

The Presbyterian Church of Coshocton, Ohio

 

If you click on the audio, you will hear my voice.

 

Hello, friends!

How are you, today?  I miss you so much! I hope you are well and staying safe and healthy. I look forward to when we are gathering together in person, face to face, once again.

Since we can’t be together right now, I want to share a virtual word of encouragement.

While having my coffee this morning, I looked out my kitchen window and smiled when I saw the neighbor’s black cat at my bird feeders. I have never seen him actually catch a bird. He is well fed and cared for by his owners. It’s more like entertainment for cats to watch my feeders—television for felines.

 

But he wasn’t looking up at the birds this time. He was staring down at the ivy-covered soil behind them. He was very still—every muscle in his body tense. I know he was waiting for an appearance of a chipmunk. I know because I have seen chipmunks often running through the ivy there, sometimes eating seed from the feeders.

Funny, a bird landed not too far from the black cat while he was waiting for a chipmunk. He turned his head to look at it, but didn’t stir from his place of waiting. He wasn’t distracted. Soon, he was back staring at the soil. He knew that if he waited long enough, eventually, a chipmunk would pop out of its hole. He would get his reward!

One of my favorite scriptures is Galatians 6:9. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

The apostle Paul is teaching the church at Galatia about continuing in the loving and peaceful ways of Christ, even when we don’t see the harvest. Yes, he is talking about patience and waiting while walking the journey of faith, sowing seeds of kindness, though we don’t see the seeds taking root or plants bearing fruit.

It isn’t just the fruit in others we are waiting for. It’s the fruit in ourselves.

I am waiting for God to strengthen me to be patient and do the things he asks me to do each day, without being disappointed or sad.  I cannot minister as I am used to ministering since the Coronavirus began disrupting our lives, and we were forced to stay at home for our safety and for the protection of others. It’s very hard to not see the shining faces of my flock every Sunday. I know for you, it’s hard to be isolated from the ones you love.

What are you waiting for God to change in your heart and mind? Because with all this social distancing, it really is a battle of the heart and mind–not growing weary of doing good, even when it isn’t the life we are used to living.

I urge you, today, to not grow weary in the acts of kindness God is calling you to do. Keep on praying for healing and peace for all who are sick and help and protection for those caring for the sick and others having to be out working in the world. Don’t grow weary. Because at the time that God has ordained, we will reap a harvest—and see ourselves and our world transformed.

Let us pray.

Holy One, please heal the sick and help and protect the medical workers and caregivers, and all who must be out in the world each day. Help us to be patient and satisfied with the acts of kindness and goodness that you are leading us to do from our homes, unable to be with others, face to face.  Thank you that you are using all of us to plant seeds and nurture one another in faith and love. We look forward to the harvest of peace and transformation of our world. In Christ we pray. Amen.

 

Music by Kari Jobe: “Be Still My Soul”