Time for a Harvest!

But I tell you, open your eyes! Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest right now. Those who gather the crop are already getting paid. They are already harvesting the crop for eternal life. So those who plant and those who gather can now be glad together.   ~John 4:35-36

I love harvest time.  At my house, we get a harvest of cherries, pears, apples, grapes and a few peaches.  And our annual tradition is to go to the local Farm store to pick pumpkins and gourds and marvelously mismatched Indian corn.  We were pleasantly surprised last year that our pumpkins and gourds from the previous year had broken open and planted seeds in the front garden, leaving us with an unexpected harvest.  Looking at that pumpkin vine, and also at the fruit trees every year, it amazes me how God provides this kind of bounty for us to just go out and pick.  You plant a tiny seed, and in time you reap a tomato or pepper or pumpkin.  So simple, yet so profound.

And this is exactly how God harvests his children also.  We plant a seed of encouragement or instruction and God nurtures it until there is a harvest of salvation -- amazing.  In my case it took 20 some years of sowing and nurturing before I was 'ripe'.  I sincerely thank all the 'sowers' who must have thought their work was wasted those many years.  And so, with Jesus' own words, I encourage you to look out at the 'fields' and begin the 'harvest'.  I could be wrong, but world events sure seem to be fulfilling some 'end time' prophesies.  If so, we need to be making that extra effort to bring the Good News to anyone and everyone who will listen.  Even if these aren't the 'end times', certainly our world could greatly benefit from God's healing forgiveness and salvation.  How to solve all these various world crises? -- Literally, God only knows!  I feel more confident trusting in Him than in any political candidate.  Jesus is the answer, so lets 'Get Out the Hope' while we still can.

Lord, whatever the future holds for this country and this world, remind us that You are in control and that it is all part of Your divine plan.  Strengthen our courage to share our faith.  Strengthen our courage to put Your Kingdom ahead of this world in our lives.  Strengthen us to be 'shining stars in a crooked and depraved generation as we hold out Your word of life' (Phil 2:15-16)  And forgive us for all our failings as we give thanks for all the blessings you continue to pour out on us.