Preparing for Harvest

Jesus said “The harvest is ready...” What did He mean by that? Well if we assume that He was talking about Wheat fields then the field in the above photo certainly looks ready, and if the grain has no more than 12% moisture it should be harvested immediately. “What is the hurry” someone might say. The answer is simple: It must be harvested before something causes it to deteriorate. Even a reasonable fall of rain would cause the protein level to drop and thus the grain would lose value. Prolonged rain would cause the grain to begin to sprout in the heads, which could bring its value down from top quality grain (for flour milling) to grain that is only fit for stock fodder. Further rain and wind could flatten it and make it a total loss. A lightning strike or bush-fire could have the same affect. So the matter is urgent.

No doubt Jesus had all the above possibilities in mind but He wasn’t really concerned about a field of grain when He spoke; rather He was thinking about the crowds of people he could see, because He knew they were in a similarly vulnerable situation, and as history repeats itself in each generation of people, the same applies to us to-day; Indeed the average person’s life is so busy just working to make enough money to live and raise a family that they don’t set aside time to consider their Spiritual

wellbeing which is really what life is all about. Of course Jesus realised this and made the observation that “Narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it, whilst broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go that  way”. What a disaster that is, you see, those wheat plants are similar to us in that their whole life was centred upon producing heads of grain and if they don’t get harvested then the life of the plant was a waste of time. With us it is the same: our life here is a training ground for our Soul so we can relate to God and go on into Eternity and if we don’t realise that then we have missed the point of life. That is why Jesus said “You must be born again” which is like harvest time for our Souls.

You see, material gain has no lasting value. Great wealth or recognition, is temporary; no one can take it with them (after all, we came into this world with nothing, and even if we work for 100 years, we don’t even take our pyjamas with us when we leave). So if that is all we have achieved then it was a waste of time. Having reached that point of truth we are ready to be ‘harvested’ and blessed when someone explains to us the Gospel of Salvation and how Jesus “came that we might have life and have it more abundantly”. I was very fortunate as I was only 17 when I was shown that Jesus crucifixion assured my salvation if I repented and “believed on Him”. Everybody reaches a point of decision at some time in their life and because that is a critical “turning point” in a person’s life Jesus said “Pray that God will send harvesters into the field”. We are like that field that is ready for harvest and are just as vulnerable because “Satan roams around the whole earth seeking whom he may devour” and because disillusioned people are at a “loose end” they are often tempted to get involved with things that will undermine them, just as the rain can damage the ripe crop.  Realising this urgency, Jesus told Christians to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel”. And many have done just that, but it is a big world and there are a lot of people to reach out there; I write these articles in obedience to that statement of Jesus in the hope that someone who has not understood the Gospel will be helped, so please pass it on. People who realise that there is something missing in their lives owe it to themselves to look in the right places for the answer, and you couldn’t get a better place than The New Testament which is available “on line” or as hard copy; and then seek fellowship with like minded people. Best wishes, Tom.