五旬节廿二

惟有神叫他生长

——哥林多前书三章六节

“七月流火，十月纳禾稼”。汗滴禾下，耕者劳瘁。禾田属主，主自耕耘，我惟与主，同耕同作。

我虽劳瘁，不矜其功；与主同工，岂我一人？或曾栽种，或曾浇灌；禾役穗穗，众汗涔涔！

众虽劳瘁，亦不矜功；禾生禾长，全在造化之主。我惟撒种，我惟培育；如何生长，岂我可知！

生长有时，结实有时；我不揠苗，静候主时。但知耕耘不舍，殷勤何敢怠惰；那日必将如火，验我今日工程！

Pentecost 22

1 Corinthians 3:6

                   But God gave the growth

   Lines in the ancient Book of Poem said: “In the seventh month, Mars is in the West. The tenth is the time of harvest.”  Those who have watered the roots of rice seedlings know how difficult farming is. But we also know that the fields belong to God. It is God who has planted and weeded them. We have done noting but help in this work, tilling and working together with God.

  Though I have worked extremely hard, I have achieved nothing to boast about. I am certainly not God’s only co-worker. Some plant, others water, and there is rich growth. Everyone has sweated and slaved.

  Though everyone has toiled hard, no one can boast of his or her labors. If the crops grow, it is all due to the Creator God. I can only plant and nurture; I have no way of knowing how the seedlings will grow!

  All growth has its time, as does the harvesting of the fruit of our labors. I do not pull up the plants to speed growth. I must wait quietly for the Lord’s time. I know only that I must work and plough without ceasing, that I must be diligent and not idle. On that day when God comes like fire, it is he who will test work I have done today!