Getting to Work

Easter was a wonderful and glorious celebration of God's goodness.  Robert and Janet Hinson joind Abbeville UMC ... Katie Hinson, Jackson Blalock, Faith-Anne Hunt and Clayton Larsen became full members of AUMC through confirmation and Katie and Clayton were baptized.  We held services on Thursday (Maundy Thursday), Friday (Tenebrae), a church-wide picnic on Saturday and two services (9am and 11am) on Sunday.  Lots of work, energy an effort went in to these events and I would be irresponsible if I didn't thank the unsung heroes (the choir and praise team, Lucky, Mark, all the people who prepared food and schlepped back and forth to make each event a success, those that prepared communion/the tomb in the Sanctuary/the eggs for the egg hunt/etc., Ron for keeping up with all the sound system stuff, Judi (and many helpers) for the picnic, and many others who (in unseen ways) did something to make things work out.  THANK YOU!

It would be easy to sit back and admire the work God did this week in the hearts and lives of the people.  But what God did was not what most of us think.  While all of these events were going on last week and we thought each event was an end in itself, it was not ... each event was a beginning.  Let me say it another way.  It is spring.  I have seen many farmers and some of you out plowing your fields.  Some have even planted something in those fields.  So your task is done, right?  NO ... your task has just started.  You have planted seed.  It must be watered.  It must be tilled and weeded.  The crop will not come till harvest time and that will be work too. 

So it is with last week.  God planted seed.  If we are obedient and attentive we will take advantage of the times when God will water that seed.  He will have that watering can out on Wednesday when John teaches at Motley men in the morning or at our Wednesday evening Bible study.  He will have it out at one of the current Bible Studies or maybe the new Bible Study Fellowship I would like to start in a few weeks (more on this later).  He will water, weed and till on Sunday mornings at the 9am or 11am services.  Several things can happen to the seed.  God's Word (Matthew 13) says God is planting seed.  Some of it falls on the footpath to be consumed by the birds.  Some of it falls in shallow soil where it germinates but wilts and dies.  Some of it falls among thorns and is choked out.  But some falls in fertile soil and produces an abundance.  It is up to you to decide whether you will invest time, prayer, study, fellowship, service and sacrifice to become that seed that produces fruit.  So you decide ... which seed are you?   Randy