Jas 5:7 Be patient, then, my friends, until the Lord comes. See how patient farmers are as they wait for their land to produce precious crops. They wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains.
Today is one of those rare days when it is the Epistle Lesson that has caught my attention. As I write this Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving so it seems only apt that Farm life be used as a metaphor for the Christian Life. Farmers are used as an example of faith, hope, and expectation. They read the signs and observe weather patterns; they place good seed in the ground in hopes that the spring rains will come and enable it to germinate and grow. They till the soil and patiently wait for their crops to mature. They are dependent on conditions beyond their control for the success of their venture. When the crop matures they work hard to harvest it and store it safely where it will not come to harm. All this takes patience. Most crops do not grow overnight and some seeds take up to a month to germinate. Planting the seed is an act of faith and dependence on God to provide the conditions that will lead to a harvest. Crops can take months to reach harvest time. Many are the weather conditions, weeds and parasites that can damage or impede the growth of those crops. The work is done in the hope of a reward to come at a later time. For someone who plants a vineyard or an olive tree that reward can be decades in the future. The work is not done once the planting is complete. The crop must be tilled, pruned, nourished and watered or it will die. Many workers are needed once the crop is ready to harvest it before it spoils in the field.
In Isaiah the faithful are exhorted not to become discouraged. They are to be patient and wait on the Lord. In good Deuteronomic parlance the unjust will be punished and the righteous rewarded. In the Day of the Lord the blind shall see, the deaf shall hear and the lame leap and dance for joy.
Isa 35:10 They will reach Jerusalem with gladness, singing and shouting for joy. They will be happy forever, forever free from sorrow and grief.
The Psalm continues the theme of rewards for the faithful, the Lord always keeps his promises.
In James we learn the importance of patience. The faithful may endure suffering but must trust that the Lord will be full of mercy and compassion and provide in the end.
This is Advent, a time of expectation. John's followers are looking for the Messiah, he whose coming John had prophesied. When asked if he was the one,
Mat 11:4 Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John what you are hearing and seeing:
Mat 11:5 the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.
John can be compared to that farmer who planted the seed and prepared the way for the harvest that is to come but like the farmer who laid the seed in the ground to die John opened the way for the Messiah who was to come. John is asked to look for the signs that the harvest is ready.
Our expectations as with those of the people of John's day are very high but we must be prepared for their fulfilment in the person of a helpless infant. We need to till our own lives so that He may reap a harvest in us.
Today is one of those rare days when it is the Epistle Lesson that has caught my attention. As I write this Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving so it seems only apt that Farm life be used as a metaphor for the Christian Life. Farmers are used as an example of faith, hope, and expectation. They read the signs and observe weather patterns; they place good seed in the ground in hopes that the spring rains will come and enable it to germinate and grow. They till the soil and patiently wait for their crops to mature. They are dependent on conditions beyond their control for the success of their venture. When the crop matures they work hard to harvest it and store it safely where it will not come to harm. All this takes patience. Most crops do not grow overnight and some seeds take up to a month to germinate. Planting the seed is an act of faith and dependence on God to provide the conditions that will lead to a harvest. Crops can take months to reach harvest time. Many are the weather conditions, weeds and parasites that can damage or impede the growth of those crops. The work is done in the hope of a reward to come at a later time. For someone who plants a vineyard or an olive tree that reward can be decades in the future. The work is not done once the planting is complete. The crop must be tilled, pruned, nourished and watered or it will die. Many workers are needed once the crop is ready to harvest it before it spoils in the field.
In Isaiah the faithful are exhorted not to become discouraged. They are to be patient and wait on the Lord. In good Deuteronomic parlance the unjust will be punished and the righteous rewarded. In the Day of the Lord the blind shall see, the deaf shall hear and the lame leap and dance for joy.
Isa 35:10 They will reach Jerusalem with gladness, singing and shouting for joy. They will be happy forever, forever free from sorrow and grief.
The Psalm continues the theme of rewards for the faithful, the Lord always keeps his promises.
In James we learn the importance of patience. The faithful may endure suffering but must trust that the Lord will be full of mercy and compassion and provide in the end.
This is Advent, a time of expectation. John's followers are looking for the Messiah, he whose coming John had prophesied. When asked if he was the one,
Mat 11:4 Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John what you are hearing and seeing:
Mat 11:5 the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.
John can be compared to that farmer who planted the seed and prepared the way for the harvest that is to come but like the farmer who laid the seed in the ground to die John opened the way for the Messiah who was to come. John is asked to look for the signs that the harvest is ready.
Our expectations as with those of the people of John's day are very high but we must be prepared for their fulfilment in the person of a helpless infant. We need to till our own lives so that He may reap a harvest in us.
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