Bringing in the Harvest

Bringing in the Harvest

The principle of the harvest is sure.  In 'Seedtime & Harvest' I'd recounted the scripture God gave to Noah as they left the ark that had been their refuge throughout the flood; seedtime and harvest will not fail as long as time remains.  God always keeps His promises and His Word is true.  You can count on it!

The process of reaping the harvest is one involving personal effort, hard labor, focus, and timing.  The harvest one takes in will be determined by the seed that was sown.  One can’t plant tomatoes and reap watermelons.  One doesn’t plant corn and harvest carrots.  What we sow, we reap – Principle 1.

My dad has often told the story of how he and my uncles were told by my grandfather that they could play once they’d completed sowing the cotton seed  he’d purchased to plant.  As it happened, someone decided that skipping ahead to playing was more important than how the seed was sown.  Instead of evenly spaced seeds in properly placed rows, the bulk of the seed was dumped into the earth and covered.  Job done, let’s play!  The result was discovered when the cotton plants burst from the ground and the boys reaped what they sowed.  How we sow is as important as what we sow.  Principle 2 – how you sow matters. 

This month, let’s endeavor to seek God’s direction for our sowing as well as our reaping.  Are you sowing seed prayerfully, tenderly, evenly, consistently?  Do you stop to consider what ‘moves you to buy’?  Jesus’ manner with people was one of care and concern to the needy, as well as sharp rebuke and criticism for the religious who saw themselves beyond need.

Psalm 126:5-6 sums it up best:  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.