In what ways can Isaiah 28:24 encourage perseverance in ministry work? A picture of purposeful plowing “Does the plowman plow every day to sow? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?” (Isaiah 28:24) • The farmer works hard, but he isn’t aimlessly turning dirt forever. • His strenuous plowing has one clear objective: seedtime and, eventually, harvest. • Ministry involves similar, sometimes exhausting, groundwork—teaching, discipling, counseling, praying—yet every stroke of the plow serves a larger, divinely ordained purpose (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9). Seasons remind us the struggle is temporary • A farmer’s plowing season has a start and a finish; it is not the whole story. • So, difficult stretches in ministry are not permanent; they precede new phases of planting, watering, and reaping (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). • This perspective guards the heart from despair and fuels hope: “We do not lose heart… our momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). Breaking hard ground parallels gospel labor • Just as hardened soil must be broken, hearts need the convicting truth of Scripture (Jeremiah 23:29). • Resistance, apathy, or cultural hardness should not surprise us; the plow is designed for tough terrain. • Persevering through opposition aligns with Christ’s commission to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). Expect seedtime and harvest • After plowing comes sowing; after sowing, patient waiting; then harvest (James 5:7-8). • God pledges that faithful labor will bear fruit: “In due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). • Results may not be immediate or visible, yet God’s timetable is perfect, and His Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:10-11). Fuel for steadfast service • Ministry is God-assigned (Romans 11:29); therefore, He supplies strength (Colossians 1:29). • The same Lord who designed the farmer’s seasons orchestrates ministry seasons; our job is to plow diligently, trust Him for the outcome, and refuse to quit. • Isaiah 28:24 whispers, “Keep turning the soil, knowing a harvest is coming.” |
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