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 By Rob Des Cotes
[Other articles by Rob Des Cotes]
Lands that drinks in the rain often falling on it, and that produces a crop useful for those for whom it was farmed, receives the blessing of God. Hebrews 6:7
According to this passage God's blessing seems to follow an ecological cycle. Like land that often gets showered with rain, we too are often blessed with optimum conditions and opportunities for growth. Each day we have occasion to drink this rain deeply into our lives. And, like any well-watered garden, we eventually produce a crop, the result of the Lord's blessings showered upon us.
But it doesn't stop there. According to this Scripture, the crop that we grow is not only for our own benefit. It is especially a blessing to those for whom it was farmed. In other words, God grows a crop in us that is primarily designed for someone else's good.
Consider how this might apply to you. What has God cultivated in your life that is ultimately designed for someone else's sake? Is it a talent? A knack for hospitality or money-making? A cheerful disposition? A sober outlook? It is both humbling as well as freeing to think that much of what you are the crop of your life has actually been given to you for the benefit of others. How does this change your relationship to God's blessings to know that they belong more to others than to you? How might it motivate you differently in the cultivation of your gifts?
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People will often do far greater things for the sake of others than they would ever do for themselves. They might acquire new skills, study a discipline, learn a craft or overcome certain fears or insecurities simply because others need them to do so. These are some of the ways that land,which drinks in the rain often falling on it, bears fruit for the sake of others.
As we produce such an other-oriented crop in our lives we participate in the cycle of blessing which concludes, according to this passage, with the reward of yet more blessing from God. Presumably this blessing comes once again in the form of good rain showering upon us, which starts the cycle all over again. Rain falls... we drink it in... a crop grows... others are blessed by it... more rain falls... we drink it in again... another crop grows..
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Rob Des Cotes is a spiritual director and pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He teaches Contemplative Traditions at Trinity Western University, as well as courses on spirituality and the arts at Carey Theological College and Columbia Bible College. Rob also directs Imago Dei (www.imagodeicommunity.ca) a network of faith communities that encourages the practice of prayer and a transforming relationship with God. Rob is a regular contributor to canadianchristianity.com
To obtain his latest book: 'Higher than I' go to: www.clementspublishing.com
November 6/2008
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