Word@Work 040 - Mark4:5-6 & 16-17
Published: Tue, 01/15/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
Read Mark 4:5-6 & 16-17 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 16-17 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (NIV)
Early response to the Gospel does not say everything. No root, and the shoots will soon die off.
The great need of the 21st C church is to have well rooted Christians. Many believers hop from Sunday to Sunday to get their next nourishment. Time to invest in God's Word is skimped, and mid-week meetings may be pushed off the agenda as home or work take precedence. It may be that the office Christian Fellowship or local church midday Bible Study could save the day. However we do it, we have to take time and effort to be rooted in the Lord. Change the analogy - starve the baby and is it any wonder that it fails to thrive!
Trouble and persecution come all too easily - without the Word to instruct our hearts, we will give up. So we must take every opportunity to drive that priority into our daily and weekly schedule. The calendar alarm on the mobile phone or PDA can help discipline the day. For some, a train or bus means an open Bible. For others, lunch and coffee breaks are deliberately taken with another believer in order to read and pray together. Even these devotionals could be a starting place. Who knows, they might be the beginning of a workplace fellowship!
Are we content to casually witness to the love and power of God, but are frightened of a more careful follow-up? Any golfer knows that the power of the shot is in the intention to follow though the swing well. We need encouragement. How about thinking and planning how to involve God's people together on a regular basis at work? It is good practice for leading a discipleship group back home or even a regular one-to-one Bible study with a new Christian.
Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for those who invested in my spiritual growth. Can I be of use to help someone else? Or do I need to put down deeper roots myself? Please show me how to be more securely rooted in Christ. For His sake, Amen
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
Early response to the Gospel does not say everything. No root, and the shoots will soon die off.
The great need of the 21st C church is to have well rooted Christians. Many believers hop from Sunday to Sunday to get their next nourishment. Time to invest in God's Word is skimped, and mid-week meetings may be pushed off the agenda as home or work take precedence. It may be that the office Christian Fellowship or local church midday Bible Study could save the day. However we do it, we have to take time and effort to be rooted in the Lord. Change the analogy - starve the baby and is it any wonder that it fails to thrive!
Trouble and persecution come all too easily - without the Word to instruct our hearts, we will give up. So we must take every opportunity to drive that priority into our daily and weekly schedule. The calendar alarm on the mobile phone or PDA can help discipline the day. For some, a train or bus means an open Bible. For others, lunch and coffee breaks are deliberately taken with another believer in order to read and pray together. Even these devotionals could be a starting place. Who knows, they might be the beginning of a workplace fellowship!
Are we content to casually witness to the love and power of God, but are frightened of a more careful follow-up? Any golfer knows that the power of the shot is in the intention to follow though the swing well. We need encouragement. How about thinking and planning how to involve God's people together on a regular basis at work? It is good practice for leading a discipleship group back home or even a regular one-to-one Bible study with a new Christian.
Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for those who invested in my spiritual growth. Can I be of use to help someone else? Or do I need to put down deeper roots myself? Please show me how to be more securely rooted in Christ. For His sake, Amen
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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Contact us at wordatwork@beaconlight.co.uk
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