Good Morning Friends,
Sometimes we feel God’s nearness, and sometimes we don’t. You see more clearly when spiritual perception grows as we stop protecting our comfort and start seeking the mercy and justice God loves. Prayer is a privilege, but it also exposes our loyalties. We want the benefits of heaven and the privileges of the world. And beneath that, if we’re honest, we don’t merely want equality with God, we want control. That has been humanity’s struggle from the beginning and to some degree God gives us control for God is in charge and can do that. Yet the Spirit keeps awakening a nobler desire in us: a longing for a clean heart, a clear mind, and a life aligned with God’s Kingdom. Because this isn’t about us. God is God, and we are not. Our hope is that people everywhere will listen for what the Spirit is saying. So today, guided by Scripture and grounded in real life, we ask: Do We Plough New Ground Or Play In The Comfort Of Our Privilege?
Scripture Summary
Hosea 10:1–3, 7–8, 12 Israel prospered, but instead of turning to God, they built more idols. Their false hearts led to judgment—altars torn down, leaders swept away, and people crying for escape. Yet God still calls: Break up your unplowed ground. Seek the Lord. Sow righteousness. He will rain down His love.
Matthew 10:1–7 Jesus gives His disciples authority to heal and free the oppressed. He sends them first to Israel—the lost sheep—and tells them to proclaim a simple, urgent message: The Kingdom of heaven has come near.
Message: Sowing and reaping always involve risk. God’s salvation was costly. The Father sending His Son meant pain, rejection, and the possibility that we might refuse Him. God did not play it safe. He broke new ground so His Kingdom could flourish in us. So if we follow the disciples’ pattern: sow faith locally, then outward, we must take risks. Risk is part of Kingdom life. The world dazzles us with easier paths, but real growth happens when we step beyond comfort with wisdom and love. Honest, vulnerable presence with others opens new territory for the Gospel. Risking love plants seeds that change lives. There are many altars in this world…places we invest our hope, energy, and sacrifice. Most do not honor God. Only the altars He blesses bear Kingdom fruit. Building those altars is worth the risk because their reward is love.
And So, Kingdom work sharpens our vision for a better future. It requires asking good questions, seeking solutions, and leading with courage. Sharing our talents is good, but sharing from our weakness is transformative. Many Christians remain like unopened books. They are neat, unused, untested. But when we give ourselves fully, we encounter God deeply. Ministry rarely comes easily; it often looks like unplowed ground. God may lead us out of familiar, safe ministry into awkward or unknown places. It might be a major life shift or simply noticing the feet near you that need washing. Don’t fear the unplowed ground. God is already there.
Pray to see how deeply God loves us, even through painful, costly experiences because God uses the time to grow our faith. Pray to recognize that stagnation is a kind of perishing that we grieve. Pray for courage to risk because the stakes are eternal. Pray to believe the Kingdom is still near in surprising acts of honest love. Pray to welcome real emotion and real presence. Pray to break new ground even when it feels uncomfortable. Pray to discover that mercy draws us close to God. Pray to trust God’s plan for the unplowed places of your life and mine.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 