Harvest Workers

“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. (John 4:35 NLT).

Hay Field in South Carolina

He may be hard to see, but there is a farmer on his tractor in the middle of the picture. He’s the one doing all the work, or so it seems. If you ever went to one of Billy Graham’s crusades, he was the one doing all the work, or so it seems. 

 It’s not true in either case. There is certainly someone who repairs the tractor and the baler, and there is someone who provides the fuel for the tractor. Someone prepared the field for harvest, perhaps four months before this picture was taken. Depending upon the crop, there may have been several others who worked in the field in the intervening time. Someone prepared the place to store the harvest. The farmer may also have had someone who helped him financially to get started.—tractors aren’t free.

 The same is certainly true of Billy Graham and his crusades. There was always George Beverly Shea who sang a solo, and someone who led worship. There were people who prepared the venue so that it was ready to hold the large crowd. There were people who helped those attending to find seats. Someone or maybe many “someones” who helped the people find parking spaces. We know that someone put up flyers to announce the crusade, and there were radio personalities who advertised it. I’m sure there were security people working also. Some people helped with Billy’s crusades by providing funds to rent the facility and print the flyers and pay for the advertising.

 Both people, the farmer and Billy Graham were gathering a harvest, and it appears that only the farmer and Billy Graham were responsible to gather the harvest. I’m sure that both would tell you that they may be the ones visible in the gathering, but it wouldn’t have been possible without many other people who helped in the preparation. In Mark 16:15,16 Jesus calls us all to be workers in the harvest: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned” (NLT). We are to be the farmers who gather the crop, or those who aid the farmer in gathering the harvest, and Jesus will place the entire crop—ALL WHO BELIEVE—in His storehouse. We call it Heaven. 

 The next time you see a farmer in the field or a pastor speaking the Word of God, keep in mind and appreciate those who make the harvest possible. 

Just an Ordinary Day

“Why is everyone hungry for more? ‘More, more,’ they say. ‘More, more.’ I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together” (Psalm 4:6-8 MSG).

Shoreline on the Island of Hawaii

    It’s just an ordinary part of the shoreline of the Island of Hawaii. No big crowds gather here to watch the surfers; no one comes here for the magnificent sand beach. It’s just an ordinary part of the shoreline of the Island of Hawaii. But look how grand it is. The darkness of the shore greatly contrasts with the bright white of the breaking wave, and all of it is set off by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean.

   That reminds me of an ordinary day in my life in Christ—an ordinary day in Christ, not the WOW day when He performs a miracle of solving a problem that I’ve been plagued with for years. It’s just an ordinary day like most of my days with Him. And in that ordinary day He has given me more joy and peace and love than the non-Christian has on the day that his team wins the Super Bowl. I can be as excited about this ordinary day because of the ordinary things He does for me each day. I can rest in sound sleep tonight because He is watching over me just as he has done for the past 85 years. Tomorrow I will wake up to another day just as exciting as any other day of my life since I made Him the Lord of my life. Every day, every day with Christ is better than the best day before I knew Him. 

Encourage Each Other

“The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver” (Proverbs 25:11 CEV).

We’ve all experienced it—a friend saying just the right thing just when we needed some encouragement, and we appreciated it. I know that I’ve had entire days turned around by an encouraging word from a friend. I was in a horrible mood one day, and a friend walked up to me with a smile on his face, and said, “Boy, you’re lookin’ good.” Even though I knew that I wasn’t looking particularly good, at least by the expression on my face, it made me feel better. We talked a few moments, and his demeanor raised my spirits, and my approach to the whole day was changed. He may not have ever known how much he helped with those few words of encouragement. I need to thank him the next time I see him.

 It’s not hard to be an encouragement. In my case a smile and a few words did it. Sometimes we can tell that a friend is worrying or sorrowing about something, and a smile along with the words, “You look worried. Is there something I can help you with?” can help. Even if the answer is, “No, I need to work this out myself,” he may feel better just knowing that you care and are willing to help if needed and will probably pray about what is worrying him. In those sorrowing or confusing times, a word from a friend may be just what is needed. “I’m not alone.” Realizing that the friend may be praying points us to Jesus Christ, and we realize that we are never alone. We are capable of giving words of encouragement that may well be worth more than gold or silver.

 Later in Proverbs 25:25, we are told: “Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty” (CEV). Sometimes a letter to an old friend may be just the thing that he or she needs. Maybe I should say email instead of letter, but I like something written that I can carry with me easily or just reach down and grab it anytime I need to reread it. A phone call is certainly quicker and more personal and immediate than either an email or letter. It’s good to hear the voice of a friend that we haven’t heard from for a while. Spoken words are more able to convey our feelings than words on a paper or computer screen. I encourage you to contact a friend today and just talk about how things are going with both of you and, perhaps, even sharing a time of prayer. You’ll both appreciate it. 

Stop, Look, and Listen

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:7-10 NIV).

Fall Scene just North of Flagstaff, AZ

 “Stop, look, and listen” is famous for being the crossed signs that announced railroad tracks, and the message was a good one. In a different context it can help us to calm down by convincing us to take some time to observe and experience creation. Often we need to slow down from or step away for a short time from our responsibilities. Decide on a period of time when you will not answer the phone (the most rude and invasive instrument ever invented). Every time it rings, we feel like we should stop what we are doing and at least find our who is calling. It demands our attention. 

  Refusing to answer the phone is a good place to start to take control of your time. During the time you ignore the phone, divert your mind from the problems that need solved, and any projects you may be working on. “What do I do now?” First, walk outside and, once you are outside, STOP, seriously, stop moving and LOOK. That’s right, LOOK at your surroundings. Take at least five minutes to LOOK around yourself—360 degrees—and try to remember everything you see. Close your eyes and try to visualize what you saw. Now, take at least two minutes and LISTEN to the sounds of nature—birdsong, the buzz of a bee, the moving of the wind, and the sound of a creek if you are near one. Close your eyes again, and try to visualize the scenery overlaid by the sounds you heard. 

 Open your eyes, take it all in, and thank God for His creation. I believe that at this point you have drawn closer to God. It is my firm belief that Creation Beckons Us, and I believe that Creation has Drawn US Closer to God. 

 I don’t believe that any man who spends some quiet time immersing himself in the beauty and grandeur of creation can really believe that there is no God. Part of the reasons that God created this fantastic universe is to draw us to Him. He loves us so much that He created all of this universe for us to enjoy, and for Him to spend time with us.  And He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross, taking our sins within Himself and forgiving us of them so that He could spend eternity with us. God loves us more than we can ever imagine.

 I am asking you to take thirty minutes today to walk out into nature and STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN for God. Enjoy yourself, allow yourself to forgot all your problems, and relax. God will meet you there. 

The River That Never Runs Dry

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22,23 ESV.

Salmon River, Idaho 2024

Indeed, His love never ceases; it is like a never-ending river. I t flows forever.  Every river’s flow gets smaller during a time of little rain, but the love of God never changes; it is always full force.  A river gives me a vivid picture of the flow of the love of our God. It flows by me no matter what I do. The volume of the flow is not dependent upon God, but it is dependent upon me and how much I am willing to receive the love of God.  I can stand by the side and just dip my feet into the flow, or I can jump in until the flow covers me completely. The flow hasn’t changed, but my actions are the deciding factor that determines the blessing of His love.

 As rivers flow, they sometimes form pools where the water moves slowly. Sometimes they flow at a steady pace that has a force behind it, and sometimes they flow in as a torrent that carries everything along by its overwhelming force.  We can step into a pool and be immersed and feel the water all around us.  We can even go under the water and feel its presence everywhere in our bodies. We can do that with God’s love and luxuriate within it. We can step into the river when the flow is steady and experience His love as a constant presence, a pleasant sensation of feeling the movement of His love. We can even step into the torrent of God’s love as it races along and be carried with it into new adventures with Him. How will you feel His love today?

 There are those who are unaware of this wonderful flow; they have never heard the Gospel. It is our joy and responsibility to make them aware of the love that God has for them, and we can do that by word or deed. We can make them aware of His love through our deeds, and our amount of His love is not lessened, but is increased because our sharing is our one step deeper into the flow. Our deeds may share the love, but the words of God’s love must be spoken in order to invite them to jump in and experience the full extent of Jesus’ sacrifice.

 There are those who are aware of God’s love but choose not to receive it. It is our joy and responsibility to share His love for them also, by our deeds until they are drawn to Him by our actions and attitude. Then we can speak the words of His love. This can be a difficult, uncomfortable, or even dangerous undertaking.  But in the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 28:19, we are told, “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (GNT). Jesus didn’t say that it would be easy, He just told us to do it. 

 Let us obey the Great Commission. We usually think of obedience to this Commission by speaking personally to someone about Jesus Christ. There are other ways—speaking to groups, sharing your written thoughts, and contributing financially to those who go into the mission field. In any way we can, let us fulfill this final command of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 So jump into the river of God’s love with me and enjoy swimming with the multitude who have accepted his love.