Harvest Thoughts

HARVEST THOUGHTS

I am on a bit of a spiritual high today.  Why?  Yesterday was an amazing day.  As many of you know I love reading and hearing an author in person was for me absolutely amazing.  We were able to participate in a Live Stream from the Irish Women's Convention in Belfast.  The speaker was Jen Wilkin.  It was amazing to hear her testify of how she has only started to write books in the past 10 years but it was a culmination of years studying God's word in her own home and church.  The depth of understanding and explaining God's word was very apparent.  Yesterday's 3 sessions were on The Ten Commandments or Ten Words.  It was a beautiful way to spend a Saturday and I could not wait to come home and read her book.  As I did so last night I could hear Jen explaining once again what was written.  For me it was as if God's word came alive.  I was reminded by Jen that sometimes we will say "all we want is a fresh word from God."  Jen lifted her bible and said "as if God's word is not enough?"  Too often we crave for something more than what God has written in his Word but really what our problem is ... we have failed to open God's word and really hear what God is saying to us.  Why is that?  Perhaps it is because we don't want to hear what God has to say.  Too often we want to do things our way even though it is the opposite of what God wants.  Maybe we don't open God's word because we believe that only an educated person can really read and explain God's word, that somehow it should be limited to a certain time or place.  If ever we needed to hear God's word, we say, it is now.  The problem is we actually are not asking.  We open up God's word and heaven seems silent.  We haven't come in preparation or expectation.  For some it actually means that they don't know how to come and ask God to speak.  Perhaps we are ignorant to how God speaks to us.  Maybe we have preconceptions of how we expect things to be.  For whatever reason, sometimes God needs to break in and shake us, to make us realise that he has been there all along waiting for us to hear him.  Too often we are busy, yes even busy in doing what we believe God wants us to do.  We make excuses as to why we have no time.  Yesterday Jen challenged all of these thoughts in my ideas of God's working in my life.

Today was our harvest service and Mr Lawrence Kennedy asked us to read from Joseph's life.  Joseph is a favourite character of mine having participated in a Precepts bible study earlier this spring.  We thought of how Joseph was used by God - whether it was in his father's home or in the depths of a prison cell or even in the palace of Pharaoh  He was given the ability to tell and interpret dreams and Pharaoh had several of them.  God was using this dream to foretell the future.  He was warning him that something needed to be done in preparation.  Once Joseph was remembered by the chief butler he was brought in before Pharaoh.  He warned Pharaoh that 7 years of prosperity would be followed by 7 years of famine.  Immediately Joseph was promoted and given authority to take command of the store houses.  Joseph had another ability apart from dream interpretation - administration  He asked the farmers during the years of plenty to give a portion to Pharaoh so that when the famine came they had sufficient to feed not only the local families but more than that.  Countries came to Joseph for provision and he was able to supply their need.

We were asked today to consider the spiritual famine that is prevalent in our society.  Not just locally but worldwide.  There is a problem today, an age old problem.  Our churches are empty of genuine believers, physically empty.  The results of COVID are being seen and we were warned of that - imagine within 5 years of the greatest global epidemic we now see how God is working.  He has brought this famine and for a reason.  God knows the situation we are facing today and it is extremely distressing.  Too often I have despaired because of the lack of genuine interest in God and his Word over the past number of years but I realised yesterday that part of my problem is that I am looking too far ahead.  I have wondered where the church as believers in Christ will be in the next number of years but really what I need to focus on is the present.  God is calling me to serve him now.  To be in preparation for a greater famine that is on the horizon.  

What was the solution to the situation Joseph and the land of Egypt faced?  It was a depressing situation but here was one man who had the solution.  He had prepared in advance and was able to provide for the people.  He opened up the store houses and fed the people.  God has provided our solution in the heavenly Jesus.  He went to Calvary to die for our sins and the day he rose again and returned to his father the storehouse was fill.  When I accepted Christ as my Saviour the store house was opened to me and I have received more than I could ever need to live for him in this present age.  

There is a satisfaction in knowing Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.  There is a peace that passeth all understanding and this is why I am on a spiritual high today.  I have been more than satisfied by God's word and will continue to be as I live in the light of his word today and every day.