121 Days of Prayer

Who Plants a Vineyard and Does Not Eat the Fruit of It?

The purposes of this prayer are: Holiness/Righteousness, Spreading of the Gospel and Leadership.

Eternal Father, the Corinthians asked Paul why they should have to support him and Barnabas. Before explaining why he shares the gospel without charge (so that no one could assert that Paul said the words that he spoke because he was paid to say them, and not because they are true), Paul explained the concept of a worker earning his wages: “Who at any times serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? I am not speaking these things according to human judgement, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.’ God is not concerned about oxen, is he? Or is he speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.” 1 Corinthians 9:7–10 (NASB). Gracious Lord, Paul set an excellent example of Christian leadership and urged his audiences to emulate his behavior. Paul strove to emulate Jesus, the perfect model for all Christians to follow. Lord, help us to always consider what Jesus would do, as we strive to lead lives of righteousness. Amen.