Welcome to Day 6 of The Challenge! Our verse to memorize today is II Timothy 2:6:
~
"The husbandman that laboureth
must be first partaker of the fruits."
~
As a girl growing up in the country in the grand state of Indiana, I was familiar with small-scale farming. I used to say I wanted to marry a farmer. 
I loved the outdoors and my favorite time of the year was summer, when the hay and straw was dry enough to be bailed. Every farmer works hard and waits patiently for the ‘first fruits’ to be ready for harvest.
Two thoughts came to mind while meditating on this verse. The Lord will bless His laborers with a fruitful harvest in His perfect timing; so please don’t grow weary in well doing, because in due season we will reap. (See Galatians 6:9.) Also, in the Old Testament the Israelites were encouraged to give their first fruits to the Lord. He sends the ‘rain’ and ‘sun’ upon the work of our hands and righteously deserves the very first and best. Let us remember to give back to the Lord as He blesses us in the ministries He has called us to here on earth.
To God be the glory!
~ Tabitha Paine
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January 6th, 2009 at 6:36 am
For me it is very easy to get discuraged when you put everything you have into a project and yet you see no fruit even starting to grow as a result… One thing that really helped me to see it in a different light… The Bible says that in due season you will reap, if you faint not…. but ( it was pointed out to me) we do not reap in the same season that we plant… therefore never grow weary in doing good. God will allow it to grow in HIS TIMING,and in HIS WAY!
Psalm 37:4
January 6th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
To God be the glory! This verse made me think that nothing we do can be done for ourselves, because, like in John 15, God is the Husbandman, so He gets to be the first One to partake of our fruits!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
This verse was a bit difficult to understand at first. But after discussing it tonight, my sisters and I came to the same conclusion – God is the Husbandman and must be the first to partake of our fruits.
Well said, Sandie!
Tabitha, thank you for the reminder to not grow weary in well doing. I often need to be reminded of that.
PS. We were wondering, how does this verse fit in the context of this chapter?
January 7th, 2009 at 9:58 am
That’s a great question, Sarah! I was also rather puzzled at how this verse fit into the context of the passage so I thought I’d study it a bit.
From Vine’s Word Studies we see that “the husbandman that laboreth” implies “hard, wearisome toil” (“feel fatigue, work hard” in the Strongs). “Must be first partaker” is better read “Must be the first to partake.” So this verse could read, “The farmer who works hard, toiling wearily in the field, will be the first one to enjoy eating the fruit of his labor.”
So thus see the connection in this series of analogies!
By the way, notice how Paul uses the analogy of both a runner and a farmer together in I Corinthians 9:7 as well.
January 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
The analogies are really neat! Thank you Robert. I really appreciate that… it makes things much clearer
January 7th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Aha! The light has come on! “Thank You, Lord!” Now I can see the connection! Thank you for your clear explanation, Robert! I now can grasp the meaning of these verses. Those analogies really helped! Thanks again for taking the time to look into this
Such unfathomable riches lie within the Word of God!
January 9th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Thanks for the insights Tabitha!!