Waiting for A Harvest

It’s that time of the year again when gardens are tilled and seeds or plants are planted, watered, and then we wait…and wait… and wait…

If you think about, it’s amazing how long it takes for the seeds to germinate; and then how long it takes from germination until we see flowers. Then how long it takes until the crops come up and we can eat the produce…

It’s several months until we see anything for all our labor; if we see anything at all, because there are many conditions beyond our control such as weather and the quality of the plants and seeds.

This is true for all crops including flowers, trees, and vegetables.

Another huge factor is the condition of the soil; is it clay, sandy, or black? Each serves a different purpose depending upon what type of crop is planted.

But it should noted that the condition of the soil didn’t come that way by chance. This soil was prepared by the gardener ahead of time in anticipation of what was to come.

In fact, it takes a tremendous amount of work to turn untamed land to good soil: Rocks must be removed (again and again), thorns pulled up, and hard places roto-tilled to loosen up the soil, because even the best soil must be broken before it can become beautiful.

And then, as I said, we wait…this is how things grow.

So, is it worth it???? Is it worth all the arduous work just to even prepare the soil to receive the seed or plant? And why must we wait; why can’t things happen faster?

If you’ve done gardening for any length of time you know that the answer is “yes”, that it is worth all of the hard work that goes into preparing soil and planting for the future harvest.

Being able to pick rich and fresh produce from soil less than one hundred yards from the kitchen door is so very much worth all of the effort and the waiting period!

And before you know it, it’s State Fair Time! Time for ribbons and trophies!

But what about areas of our lives where have been waiting for a harvest?

We are not naturally good soil for God to plant into us His Word

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

 

Too many Christians are content with remaining un-tilled soil. We delude ourselves by thinking that the condition of the soil doesn’t matter.

We don’t want God to point out where we need to be changed. We prefer to remain rocky and weedy. We prefer to try to grow things despite the resistance in our lives

None of us are beyond God’s ability to change us. But His change takes time: - It doesn’t happen in a single day. Even so, He can change us from a desert land to a fruitful garden

My friend Rev Bob Tolliver wrote:

“Trees do not grow year-round. In the Spring, life begins to flow and leaves begin to appear During the Summer a new layer of fiber slowly begins to form under the bark.

In the Fall, the new wood has created a new "circle" from the most recent growth and begins to mature. Interestingly, it is during the most desolate and severe season that the hardening and maturing takes place ---- the winter.

During those times, it appears that life is gone and the tree is dead, but the life as simply retreated to the roots leaving the outward appearance of death.

All of that to say that perhaps the most important seasons of our walk with the Lord are during those times when we feel we have spiritually "flat-lined" and have lost any ground gained.

Just the opposite is true. It's through those "dark nights of the soul" when we can become the most mature ---- if we don't fight it.”

Soil that was called “good ground” didn’t come that way by chance. This soil was prepared by the GARDENER ahead of time. But it was not the soil that did the work

To be good soil that receives God’s Word: I must be open, receptive to God and His Word. There can’t be resistance or reluctance on my part to having stones removed. I must welcome it daily. I must allow it to change my thoughts, attitudes, prejudices.

Secondly, every area of my life needs to be reachable/available. ALL the ground in a garden is tilled for fruitfulness. ALL areas of my life need to be tilled by the Holy Spirit. This takes time, but it must be done. Again, He is the One who will do the work; we cooperate.

The key ingredient to good soil being productive is how much God is really in control of our lives, and how obedient and responsive we are to His Word.

The Holy Spirit has come to help us bear fruit to be productive, appointed to bear fruits that honor the Father. And there will be a bountiful harvest of divine fruit because my Heavenly Father has been working with great skill in His Garden and I chose to respond to His work in humility and with my heart.

Our Heavenly Father has a Garden that He has been working on; a garden that He is proud of, filled with blue-ribbon produce. A Garden that He longs to share with the world. It’s the lives of you and I!

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9 NKJV)

Soldier of Life

by Larry Houghton

Today I was forced to look at life and how fragile all of us are. I really believe that all of us are the walking wounded.

My mind drifted to one of those old World War II scenes, where these soldiers are walking down the streets of some foreign town limping and supporting the man next to them who is struggling to walk on his own.

You can see the exhaustion on each of their faces. All of them are bloody with bandages covering wounds both minor and life threatening. The strongest of these men are carrying the stretchers that bear the empty shells of the least of us.

Sometimes we are fortunate enough to look upon this scene as an observer. Other times we discover our viewpoint is from the ranks of the wounded or the least desirable position of all, the view from the stretcher.

Today I discovered that I was emotionally limping. The injury went far deeper than I had originally thought. I knew that I was not walking as fast as the others around me, yet I pretended that all was well. The simplest of tasks has become an effort.

I don’t believe any of us pass through this battle of life without wounds that leave scars that run to our very core.  

So why is it that we avoid or leave behind the weakest among us. Is it because we feel we can’t be burdened with the clumsiness of bearing a wounded companion?

Quiet times are the worst because it gives my mind time to remember the fallen that I have stepped on or left behind in my self-gratifying wake. I ponder the heroes of war. The ones who do not think of their own pain, or loss, and scoop up the injured and dying. The people who set aside their own desires and they walk a little slower to assist or even carry the wounded and weary.

Eventually, I attempt to grasp the heroic act that Jesus acted out. Of voluntarily laying it all down to end the war. Knowing that one act of suffering could stop the barbaric meaningless slaughter of war. 

Jesus stepped into flesh and took the bullet for mankind.

This is what Christ did. Because of his act of mercy and love, I can draw strength from knowing he has fought this war that I am fighting. I now realize I must be diligent and run to the wounded to help them.

I now realize that the goal isn’t to be alive at the end of this battle. The goal is to be exhausted, burned up, burned out from the battle with nothing left but an inner peace and a voice that says “Well done my good and faithful servant". 

God Bless

© 2017 Larry Houghton Used With Permission

Audience of One

“Hey, could you do me a favor?” she lovingly asked me…

“Could you not tell that story to other people?”

The story my wife was referring to was about how we had spent one of our date nights together. I had told some friends about this great evening that we had spent together watching TV and was a little bit surprised that she had asked me not to share it ever again with anyone because it was our story.


I found her request to a bit strange because I hadn't shared anything that seemed too intimate to me. In fact, the story wasn’t risqué and it didn't involve anything sexual or intimate. It didn’t include nudity or anything really…. And yet to her it was a story that was private and personal and not to be shared with anyone. 


In many respects her request is so different from the world we live in today of Instagram and Snapchat and Facebook and Blogs and Twitter and texting and sex tapes….


A world where people are frequently taking photographs of themselves each and every opportunity they get; or even taking photographs of last night’s dinner…  


And, if they are not posting selfies, then they are communicating every thought or opinion or talking about an event or celebrity or politician or favorite team or athlete…


I had shared the story, our story, with another couple because it was a good illustration of how…well… I can’t explain and I really can’t tell you anything more because she asked me not to… and because it was our story and it wasn’t to be shared with anyone else…ever again because it was meant for an audience of one. 


In time, I will admit, did understand her point because I, too, have areas of my life that I don’t share with very many people; in fact, many times these areas are shared only with my audience of one. These areas include my life as a guitar player, which is usually only played for an audience of one. 


Over the years, many people have tried to get me to play outside of the ‘basement’ or ‘garage’ where my playing was only shared with other musicians that I had gotten together with to jam. Many times I have been invited to play at church on a worship team.  

On several occasions I have been enticed with; “you should bring your guitar and play with us at…” But I don’t because (at least for this stage of my life) my music is meant for an audience of one. 

I have heard many Christian musicians say that some of their best songs had never been recorded because they were meant for an audience of one. Many have told stories of songs written as the musician sat in his or her private setting and played songs of worship to the One who made them. 


Afterwards, they realized that the songs that flowed during their time of devotions were private and personal and not to be shared with anyone; ever. 


As I write this, I ponder how many experiences do we have (that we are so quick to broadcast) that were not meant to be shared with anyone but the person we were spending time with?


How many times have we shared our experiences via the internet and never stopped to ask the person we were with whether this was meant for an audience of one?


Christians, how many experiences do we have with our Heavenly Father that we are so quick to broadcast? Perhaps they were meant for just an audience of one which is the Father and us individually...

This includes private times in the prayer closet as well as at church. I have seen (in my opinion) way too many people taking selfies and posting them from worship experiences at church.  

Question; why would you take a selfie during a public worship experience that includes a community of Believers? Just a thought…


Perhaps we can learn from my error in sharing my story that included my wife with another. Perhaps we should ask for discernment as we sort through what is to be shared and what is meant to be treasured for an audience of One.

“I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:3 NKJV)

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6 NKJV)