Devotions

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. . . .” — Matthew 28:19 Late August is the best time for us to pick our raspberries. That’s when the berries are turning ripe, red, and sweet. At the same time, honeybees, bumblebees, and other bees are buzzing all around and pollinating, doing their everyday work and living. The honeybees collect pollen and nectar to build their hive and produce food—honey to eat now and throughout the winter. As they go about their work, bees pollinate anything that has flowers. And for us their work produces fruit, vegetables, and foliage in abundance.Bees do not need to be told to go out, gather, and pollinate. It’s programed into their nature. It’s all about doing what God made them to do so that plants and trees will thrive and provide food for all creatures, especially us humans. What’s more, doing what they do helps their hive to survive and thrive.As followers of Jesus, we all are instructed to go and make disciples, inviting people to become followers of Jesus. Wherever we go about doing our work and living in God’s wide world, we can touch people with the message of Jesus’ love. This is the desire of Jesus’ heart. Like pollinating bees, we can touch the lives of lost people and pray that the love of Christ will produce the fruit of faith in them.Have you embraced this mission? In what ways are you engaged in it? Lord, keep sending your followers to bring your message of love and mercy everywhere. Use our deeds and words to draw people to you. Amen.