Pastor’s Desk August 27th

Scripture Passage:  “Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.”  Matthew 9:37-38

 

Dear Friends,

     When Patrick was a little boy the yard was full of his friends waiting to begin the next ballgame.  We went from baseball, to football, to basketball, to street hockey.  There was always a game to be played, but there was also work to be done.  He would often tell his friends that if they would him get his work done he could play much quicker.  What looked like a lot of work to Patrick became nothing more than a chore with a little help from his friends. During harvest time on the farm hot, laborious work became a game when all the family pitched in.  We had so much fun together it hardly seemed like work at all.  I remember hoeing my rows of tobacco and getting behind pretty quickly.  Papaw, daddy, and momma would reach over and help out so I could catch up.  We would all get to the end of the row about the same time because we all worked together.  Times change, people die, and we all get older.  Sometimes work does not get done now unless I do it.  It takes a long time when you have to do it alone.

     Harvest time is also one of the most enjoyable seasons of the year.  When the harvest is gathered it means there is a season of idleness waiting for time to plant again.  You repair machinery and work on projects in the winter time.  You haul out some hay and monitor the cows getting ready to calve, but the hurried pace of harvest time slows down to a crawl.  It is after the harvest that the money starts coming in as a fruit of your labor.  Just as everyone shared in the work, they also shared in the fruit.  Have you ever tried to celebrate something by yourself?  It is not much fun.  The “more the merrier” when everyone present has had a contributing part in the success of the harvest. 

     Kingdom work is much like farming.  There is a time to bust up the ground, work it down, and sow the crop.  The crop must be tilled, guarded against pest, and weeded of dangerous counterfeits that would harm the crop.  The amount of the harvest will be greatly affected by the care given during the growing season.  Then comes the harvest.  The more people that you get involved makes it easier on everyone.  Some, like in the story of the “Little Red Hen” want to wait until the work is done and just enjoy eating the bread.  They may be greatly disappointed when The Lord of the Harvest denies them access to the celebration.  Why should they enjoy the fruit when they have done none of the work?  God is more gracious than I am and leaves some for everyone to enjoy.  The prayer is that more people would see how ripe the harvest is and be willing to do their share.  We also pray the Lord of the Harvest would send new people to work in the fields.  The result would be a bountiful harvest.

In Christ,

Pastor Johnny


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