"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" Isaiah 55:10-11.
Reflecting back on a year nearly gone, we are drawn to consider what it is that we accomplished. We begin a new year with hopes, ambitions, and resolutions, but likely there is that which remains unfulfilled at year’s end. We can, however, be certain of that which is done in partnership with the activity of God’s word.
Partnering with God to propagate His word is a sure-fire recipe for success. The analogy of the pervading effectiveness of snow and rain is given to illustrate the accomplishment of God's word; it simply cannot and will not fail.
We do well to clearly understand what is meant by God’s “word.” Jesus identified it in the parable of the seed and soil as "the word of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:19). This is what He was ever declaring, as we read in Mark 2:2 “He was speaking the word to them.” Never did Jesus waver from this “word activity” in that He said in Luke 4:43, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”
To partner in the enduring, effective work of the word is to faithfully declare the message and the messenger, as is so well summarized in Acts 8:12 “the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” It is this all-inclusive word that will never return void when it is proclaimed.
As we stand on the threshold of a new year, we might ask: What would I do if I knew it could not fail? If the answer is to be devoted to speaking, declaring, and publishing His word, it certainly will not fail. At year’s end, we will have no regrets in making this a high priority in our life and work.
©Steve Taylor, 2023 --Used by permission
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