By Jim Odens
Jim Odens is a pastor in Minnesota, and the below post is an excerpt from a recent sermon in a series from Ecclesiastes. The entire recording is available online, as well.
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:6
The uncertainty about which ventures we pursue will prosper and which ventures will fail should lead us to diligently apply ourselves to every venture and every opportunity God gives us.
There is no place for paralysis from fear of circumstances and possibilities in the life of a person who truly fears the Lord. There is also no place for inactivity because of laziness and sloth.
Rather, in the fear of the Lord there is great motivation to be persistently, actively abounding in our stewardship of the time, energy, money and other resources He has given us to use for His glory. It may be that some of our efforts will succeed more than others, but that is good reason to give ourselves to sowing both morning & evening! If what we sow in the morning does not bear much fruit, perhaps what we sow in the evening will. Or vice versa. Or perhaps both will succeed!
When we have acted patiently, prudently, yieldedly & diligently, we can leave the outcome in the Lord’s hands & be content with what He does.
Therefore, take advantage of every moment of every day the Lord gives you to trust Him, love Him, serve Him, worship Him, proclaim Him, obey Him in every aspect of your life (home, church, work, school, neighborhood, etc.) . . .
Don’t be hindered by concern about how it will turn out (for like the growth of the seeds sown in the ground, how things turn out is in the Lord’s hands). Instead do all you can in the Lord’s name, trusting that whatever He wants to do with your work is His will for His all-wise purposes.
