A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Thursday,
September 16,
2021
Who's driving this team?
With my ubiquitous suspenders and straw hat I just may pass for being Amish!
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"Harvest
Time"
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"Let us not
become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will
reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).
We shared some
photos yesterday of the corn harvest across the road from
our house. By late afternoon yesterday the harvesters had
finished the field and it now looks like it has a flattop
haircut!
Watching them
I had a hankering for some harvest-like work to acquire some
Vitamin D from the sun so I mowed my lawn! However working
on a 50 inch Cub Cadet lawn tractor is not quite the same as
laboring with the huge equipment in the field across the
road. I waved to the drivers of the harvest trucks overflowing with corn silage as
they passed by. I wonder what they thought of the big guy on
the little tractor?
I like the
sights, sounds and smells of harvest time. How many of you
have had the sensory experiences to know what I mean? You
may even feel some of the corn shucks blowing in your face
or get a taste of straw or some other plant debris.
The scene
prompted some reminiscing when I worked on a harvest crew on
farms in southern Missouri right after we got married. I
worked from early afternoon through the early morning hours
when I finally returned to my new bride, bone-tired and
exhausted, only to get up and repeat the next day. That's the way the harvest works. That hard work
had a formative impact on who I am and I realize that God
used that season in my life for a purpose.
Harvest is
used throughout the Bible beginning in Genesis, normally to
describe the agricultural reaping of crops as we still use
the word today. But in the New Testament it is often used in
a spiritual sense.
Jesus had a
prayer request concerning the harvest: "Then He said to
His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers
are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send
out workers into His harvest field" (Matthew 9:37,38).
Today we focus
on an exhortation and promise in our daily text: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at
the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give
up" (Galatians 6:9).
The
Exhortation: "Let us not become weary in doing
good." Literally "lose heart". This word was used of
the farmer who was tempted to slacken his exertions because
he had become so weary as a result of his prolonged effort.
"While Paul
repeatedly emphasizes that one cannot win God's favor by
doing good deeds, on the other hand he never tires of
calling God's people to do good deeds. Indeed (pun
intended), good deeds are one of the purposes for our
salvation and also one of the clearest indicators that our
faith is genuine" (From Precept Austin commentary).
The
Promise: "for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up." The proper time is also
translated "due season". This will be at God's appointed
time, not ours! "Reap" conveys the picture of cutting ripe
grain and gathering the bundles together. Paul does not give
us specifics of what this harvest is. He only guarantees a
sure return on our investment, relying on that certainty to
motivate us to seize the opportunities God gives.
Are you weary
or discouraged today? "Let us not
become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians
6:9).
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, there is great celebration
during the harvest season for those who worked
together in preparing the field, sowing the seed and
managing the growing crops to ensure optimal yields.
Then comes the hard work and joy of the harvest.
While physical crops are vital to our earthly life
spiritual crops are vital to our eternal life. Jesus
tells us to open our eyes and look at the fields
that are ripe for harvest making the sower and
reaper glad together as their labor of spreading the
gospel brings forth fruit that lasts not just for a
season but for all eternity, since the Scripture
says that everlasting joy will be upon the heads of
the redeemed. Praise the Lord, amen!Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Field
Of Souls" Video Brooklyn
Tabernacle Choir
I
enjoy the story-telling aspect of country music
and although these songs do not have a Christian
message they sure have some colorful,
descriptive lyrics.
"Harvest
Time" Video Luke Bryan
"Here's
To The Farmer" Video Luke
Bryan Dedicated to our farmer friends,
Galen and his son Daryl and their farm hand Ken.
Today
we will share some of our photos through the
years of harvest time here in Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania
Harvest time on Kraybill Church Road!
Our Amish neighbor had these wagons loaded ready for transport to the barn.
See here for a larger version of this photo with Scripture verse.
For some of you this will bring a
memory of freshly cut hay, especially alfalfa.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
We
like the background in this hay harvest photo.
Watermelon
harvest
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Corn harvest
Yesterday we passed this harvest scene in the course of our travels.
Can you identify what these
old-order Mennonite farmers are harvesting?
A farm near our home with an Amish family working together in the fields.
I am not sure what they are harvesting
but it looks like Broccoli.
We drove by the Hursh farm on
Colebrook Road this morning and they have filled
their trailers once again this year and they're
ready to go to market, probably for tomato
sauce. But every year we can't help but think
about the tomatoes on the bottom of the pile and
wonder how they withstand the weight on top. One
year we got behind a tomato trailer in our van
and watched as the tomato juice dripped from the
wagon. The Hursh's also grow large tomatoes in
their greenhouse and sell them at their produce
stand. What a blessing in our neighborhood to
have three produce stands where we can get salad
greens, peppers, onions, flowers, tomatoes,
corn, and watermelons (seedless for $1.00).
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Finally today:
This morning I visited with a young
man who was celebrating his birthday. I asked if
he had a spiritual nugget to share on his
birthday and he quoted, "It is God who arms
me with strength, And makes my way perfect"
(Psalm 18:32). I recall that this verse was
placed to music years ago in the Scripture
Memory Series. Video
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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