Anticipate the harvest!

My friend, Jake, is adding more square footage to his garden plot. He got the tiller and started to turn the soil. Just below the surface, in addition to the rocks one expects to find here in New Jersey, he found all kinds of debris in the fill that the contractors used to level his lot including plastic pails, broken glass, and other junk! His work to prepare the earth required a lot of effort, including moving one large rock weighing over 500 lbs, which is a story in itself!

Why is he doing this? Because he looks forward to his enjoyment of the peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables that he will start to harvest from that little square of tilled earth in a few weeks. Harvest is so sweet, isn’t it? Who does not love the freshest of produce straight from the garden? But, there a whole lot of work involved from the first turn of the sod to the picking of the fruit!

Jesus told a story about gardening. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

His disciples wondered what it meant, why he was telling a story about such an ordinary thing as planting a garden.  Jesus explained that the seed is the Word of God. Some hear, He said, and the Devil comes along and plucks the seed away before it ever takes root. Some hear but because their hearts are unprepared, the seed germinates and dies while still in seedling stage. Some hear and the seed starts to grow but they fail to maintain their heart garden and life’s pleasures and worries grow up, too; like weeds, choking out the growth of the good plants. And I am encouraged by this: “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest." (Luke 8:15, The Message) Anticipate the harvest!

When we submit ourselves to God, obeying the Word and the whisper of the Spirit, seed is planted in us. Is it pleasant when God turns the soil of our heart, when He digs out habits, character flaws, ands sins to prepare us for His seed? Not at all. There’s work involved that is sometimes arduous, often disturbing, and in the moment, often incomprehensible! But, we continue in faith and this is the promise, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)

Do you want to be overflowing with love, enjoying a rich peace with God, settled in contented joy in the middle of the turbulence of life? Turn the soil of your heart. Dig out, with God’s help, the junk of sins past that are buried there and the weeds of self-will that grow so quickly! Let God’s word and wisdom be the seed that is sown into your life. Then, anticipate the harvest with patient waiting!
Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and say, “Yes, Lord!”
"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12, NIV)

_____________________