Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

1 Corinthians 3: 6-9

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

Paul clearly saw his identity and role, and understood that he was co-laboring with God. God has work to do: there are fields to be farmed, houses to be built, but the work must be done according to His plan, according to His timing, and according to his method. We need to learn to be humble before God. Everyone has a different calling and different tasks. We need to be faithful to do what God entrusted us to do, and do the job well, so that God's will may be manifested.

From a human perspective, planted the seed may seem the most important task. If no seed is planted, how can it grow? However, the one who waters the seed will feel that he is important as well. There is no use planting the seed, if you do not water it as well. Herein lies the problem in ministry. People love to put themselves above others. It does not matter who plants or who waters, only the God who causes the seed to grow is the most important One. Only when we understand this truth, can we humble ourselves and acknowledge that although I may be planting, or watering, my ministry is useless until God causes the seed to grow. We are only humble vessels of God, and we cannot accomplish anything by our own strength. We have to willing to surrender under the sovereignty of God, and allow God to use us.

In the course of our ministry, we need to ask God to put a sense of humility in our hearts, so that we may understand that we can do nothing. However, in the hands of the mighty God at work, we can accomplish great things according to His will. The important thing is not whichever method we may choose to use, it is how God will cause us to grow as we serve Him. The way God leads each person is not the same. God leads each church differently as well. This does not mean that we do not learn from one another, but that we have to humble ourselves to seek Him. We have to open up our hearts and come before God in humility, in order to become His vessel, and to be used by Him.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we pray you give us the spirit of humility. Forgive us for thinking that our work is the most important, and comparing ourselves with others. Open our eyes once again to help us recognize that we need to all work together, and surrender ourselves under your authority, so that we may act according to your will. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!