Readings for today: Ezekiel 16:42-17:24, Hebrews 8, Psalms 106:13-31, Proverbs 27:7-9
“Thus says the Lord God: "I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it." (Ezekiel 17:22-24)
I have seen the partial fulfillment of this prophecy. I have the incredible privilege of being part of a church planting movement in the Horn of Africa called the Petros Network. Over the last several years, God has planted almost 5,000 churches. Almost 600,000 people have come to Christ in remote villages where the name of Jesus has never been heard or known. God is taking sprigs from the lofty top of the cedar and planting them in different places all over the earth. He is planting His church in places like Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti, and Myanmar. These are some of the darkest places on earth. The church planters face incredible hardship and difficulty. They are often persecuted, tortured, and some are even killed on the field. But still they persist. Because God has called them. God is with them. And God is using them to change entire villages, tribes, and nations.
I visited one such church this week. It is planted in a remote village on top of a mountain many kilometers from the nearest city. The pastor is young. The congregation is mainly women and children. Before the church planter came to the village, the name of Jesus was unknown. The village struggled. There was a lot of fear. A lot of disease. A lot of conflict. But when the church planter began preaching the gospel, miracles began to take place. Many people were healed. Many demons were cast out. The spirit of darkness lifted. The villagers were set free. The joy on their faces was evident. Their love for one another obvious. Their passion to worship Jesus inspiring. Clearly, this church has grown and borne much fruit. It has become a noble cedar in that area. Under it’s boughs, many have come to dwell and find rest. And the church planter already has set his eyes and heart on other nearby villages. He wants to take a sprig from the cedar of his church and plant it in the next unreached village. I imagine when we come back in six months to a year, his church will have planted one or two more new churches. This is how the Kingdom grows.
Now consider your church. What sprigs is God taking from your church to plant in other towns or cities? What sprigs is God taking from your church plant in other areas in your community? What sprigs is God taking from your church to plant in other places all around the world? To put it more plainly, has your church planted other churches in areas where the gospel is not known? Has your church planted new ministries in your community in order to reach the lost for Jesus? Has your church sent missionaries and mission teams around the world to partner with the global church to expand the Kingdom?
To make it even more personal, what about you? How are you engaging in the work of evangelism right now in your life? Who are the lost people God is using you to make a gospel impact? In what ways are you seeking to serve your community and bless others in the name of Jesus? When you look at your schedule or you balance your checkbook, how many of your resources are going towards the expansion of God’s Kingdom on earth? Remember, the one who sows sparingly reaps sparingly. The one who sows generously reaps generously. Are you reaping an eternal reward? Are you storing up treasures in heaven? Is your life becoming a noble cedar? Is God sending the lost and lonely and hurting and broken to find rest and healing and comfort under your care?
Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 18-19, Hebrews 9:1-10, Psalms 106:32-48, Proverbs 27:10