You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. (Ps. 128:2)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 128
My husband, Jason, and I moved into our home in 2001. It was a parsonage at the time. The pastor who lived in it before us, Ruby, had been my lifelong friend and mentor.
Before Ruby retired, she told the congregation she believed God was preparing Jason and me to take her place. We did not know this until much later.
The first spring after we moved into the house, I was astonished to discover colorful, fragrant roses bursting from the many bushes Ruby had planted in the front yard. Deep reds, rich yellows, vibrant peppermint stripes, and frosted pinks with honey-colored centers adorned our home with unbelievable beauty.
I received several compliments on the impressive display. “How do you make them grow like that?” many asked. I didn’t know; there was no great secret. Ruby planted, I watered, and God gave the increase.
Jason and I have lived and ministered in the same little rural town for twenty-two years. Sometimes we wonder if our work matters. Have we made a difference for the kingdom? Have our efforts been in vain? Are we wasting our lives?
When I look out my window, I’m reminded that God’s work has God’s blessing. Our service to him is like the sweet fragrance of delicate roses faithfully tended. Every bloom is a joy, every petal a treasure. He sees. He cares. And it matters.
When discouraged, remember that nothing you do for God is a waste.
Laura Hurd is an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church and holds a master’s degree from Wesley Seminary. She copastors with her husband, Jason, in rural Nebraska.
© 2023 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
