God’s Endless Goodness

By Don Ruhl

The goodness of God toward us never ceases. For example, although the king of Israel did not always follow the Lord, yet, when Syria sought to attack Israel, God used Elisha to reveal to the king of Israel where Syria would make the attack, and then Israel could escape before Syria arrived.

When the man of God warned the king of Israel, the Bible says, “Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice” (2Ki 6.8–10).

Even when in rebellion, you can still return to the Lord, follow His teachings and commands, and He will be with you to bless you. Never forget Him.

Sowing and Reaping

By Don Ruhl

We reap what others have sown and we sow what others shall reap, as Jesus said, “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps’” (John 4.36, 37).

Sometimes we hesitate to do something if we cannot see immediate results. However, remember what Jesus taught, for we reap what someone else sowed, who never saw the results. We have to do the same that another might reap our sowing.

For example, we live in an area where redwood trees grow and since we live on Redwood Avenue, my wife and I have wanted to plant redwood trees. However, some have questioned why we would plant redwoods since we will never see them in their full glory, that is, at their fullest height. (If you know anything about redwoods, they are the tallest trees on earth, some reaching over 300 feet!)

Yet, we do not need to see them as tall as they can get to enjoy them. They grow fast and we enjoy watching them grow every year. We wish that people who lived on our property decades ago had planted redwoods, for then we could enjoy them at least fifty feet high or more. So, what we plant later generations can enjoy.

We should think that way in the church. Others have made your congregation what it is today and you should make it into something for others in the future to enjoy.