The Vision of Harvest

Scripture Verses that caught my attention today: John 4:34-35 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.

Observation: Time can be short and the time can be at hand.

Application: It’s hard to know from where the urgency arose in this passage. Was Jesus urgent from word go? Or did the conversation with the woman summon up from within him the sense of urgency?

In other words, did Jesus always realize the potential before him, or did it suddenly dawn upon him through the conversation?

Either way, both Jesus and the woman suddenly expressed changed priorities. Jesus was no longer hungry and the woman was no longer thirsty. Jesus spoke of more important matters with his disciples and she spoke of more important matters with the townsfolk and eventually they all get together. It would be interesting to know what happened to her current boyfriend, but that isn’t noted.

What is noted is that, should we have the wherewithal to look around, the opportunity for harvest is before us.

On the farm, harvest time is not something to delay. With planting you never know for sure. Sometimes we rush to plant early and later find it might have been better to wait a while. Other times we wish we would have planted when we had the chance. You just never know at the time.

But harvest is different. When the crop is ripe and the conditions are favorable, you get your equipment in the field. As the saying goes, “bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush.”

The same goes for business and even for work in the church. If there are opportunities to impact lives, don’t wait.

I wrestle with this a bit personally. I do have an abiding trust (and thanksgiving) that the world does not revolve around me. That God’s work can be done without me and sometimes even in spite of me.

But by the same token, if we’re here...if we’re able…if we have opportunity and the ability…why wouldn’t we want to offer ourselves for service, such that we are, and participate in the harvest in whatever form that might be?

Time might be short.

Prayer: Lord, give me eyes to see whatever form of harvest you place before me and the wisdom to gather it in. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


(readings today included: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33, John 4)