A
Season of Harvest
The harvest is plentiful but the
workers are few.
Matthew 9:37
Ben paused to listen as the October
winds rustled the corn stalks, thinking, I love this time of year!
His tooth-revealing smile, hidden
behind a camouflage mask, testified to the depth of fulfillment he
was experiencing. The explorer inside was being unleashed! The
explosion of color! Clear, crisp air, and such fiery sunsets! It’s
hard to imagine anything more beautiful than this river valley!
Ben always felt closer to God when he
ventured into the woods. Here he could see God’s handiwork. He
could almost hear God pronounce, “You were meant to have
dominion over this. Take good care of it; this is practice for your
future home.” He was moved by the variety of wildlife and
brilliant foliage.
Ben had been a bowhunter for over
thirty years. In the sphere of three decades he’d spent thousands
of hours in the woods; here he was aware of a godly connection he
rarely sensed anywhere else.
Ben considered himself a good steward
of nature. He hunted because he enjoyed it, yet he also knew that
maintaining the animal population was necessary because of the
limited carrying capacity of the surrounding countryside. Even more
treasured than being entrusted with this responsibility was the sense
of God’s looming presence as he sat silently, watching this
wonder-filled world within a world unfold before him.
†
Consider this parallel to the seasons
of our lives: winter...God cleanses us through understanding;
spring…He brings renewal; summer…God propagates and grows the
planted seed; fall...our mature fruit is revealed for the purpose of
sharing!
There is significance in each, but fall
is when the sickle is put to the crop.
As we look about, we see those who have
not yet named the Name of Jesus. They may be in the fall of their
lives, not because of age, but because their time to decide is
running out.
God says to each of us, “Take time
out of your schedule to experience the Spirit of this season. Then go
to the harvest fields!”
Prayer
“Cleanse my life, Lord,
renew a right spirit in me, propagate the seeds You have planted, and
mature the fruit in my life that I might be prepared for the harvest.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
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