Give God a Seed to Water

Brothers and Sisters who are loved by God,

In Christianity, we often talk about planting seeds.  This is usually in reference to bringing someone to faith. We plant seeds by sharing the Gospel, the Good News: That Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins against God.  That our lives know JOY, in every circumstance, when we turn them over to God.  That anyone who asks can have an intimate relationship with God.
These are seeds planted in a life, that roots may take hold and grow a Spirit that knows LOVE.  For many, this may seem like a notion that is out-dated and old-fashioned but as Agent Coulsen says to Captain America, "Everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned."

We plant seeds in other lives but what about our own? Do we participate in our prayer life or do we use prayer as an excuse to be passive?  What I mean is, are you planting the seeds for the things you pray for or do you do nothing because you're waiting on God?  What if a prayer goes unanswered because God is waiting on you?

I pray big prayers. These include advancing in my job,  artistic inspiration, a nation with God as the center and good health. As I pray, I am asking God to move toward the desires of my heart.  While I pray, however, what am I doing to meet God in those places?  As I'm asking God to advance me in my job, God is watching to see if I show up for work and how I conduct myself in business.  As I desire to be inspired, am I looking for inspiration and sitting at my bench with my tools? As I pray for God to be at the center of our nation, do I show up to vote and am I participating in the health of my own community? As I long for a body free of illness, do I feed it correctly and turn away from the things that make it sick?

PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR PRAYERS. God doesn't need your participation to answer prayer but He's looking for your ability to handle it when He does.

I see wives passing the buck to their husbands when things go wrong, "Well, he's supposed to be the leader of the household so if this doesn't go right, that's on him."  (But, ladies, you have a role to play as well! If our men are meant to lead, we are meant to manage! Men, I pray you are offering something worthy of being followed.) It's the same when we make a request to God. Too many of us like to pray in order to release ourselves of the responsibility if things don't go as planned: "It wasn't God's will."   What a cop out! It's lazy and immature! (Believe me, I know.)

Now, of course, we have to discern what truly ISN'T God's will and be prepared to go in another direction. What I'm talking about is asking for employment and being too proud to do any job, desiring great relationships without working on who WE are or asking for provision while giving nothing away.  PLANT A SEED SO GOD HAS SOMETHING TO WATER.

Father God, You are mighty, capable of instant miracles and healing. We trust that You hear our prayers. I pray though, Lord, we are a people who help with the harvest by planting seeds. God, make it obvious when a prayer is not Your will and help us to have peace when You say no. We trust that You are protecting us in that decision. But God, if You are delaying the answer while looking for good stewardship, if You are looking for a humbled heart or You are looking for signs of our trust in You, I pray we MOVE.  In Jesus' name, amen.