Submitted by Pastor Richard Boettner, Rock Port Baptist Church

What a wonderful time to be in the Atchison County area during the past two months and see the blessings of a good harvest being gathered and stored for the days ahead. We live in a part of the world where our growing season is limited to five or six months at most. A necessary part of making our land productive over the years has been recognizing that our opportunity to grow food in the fields is not all year round, but seasonal and therefore requires good planning and stewardship. We all want to see a good crop come in and maximum benefit from the produce we are given.

We are also approaching Thanksgiving this year with a need to remember God’s blessings and give thanks to God. Most of us will look forward to a family gathering and may already be planning for that to happen November 23.

By way of Bible study during these days, it is helpful to see some principles of how these circumstances relate to our spiritual world, to the process of bringing people to faith in Christ, to growing the Lord’s church, and to sharing with others in need.

1) The harvest is possible because someone else sowed before me. Take a look at John 4:35-38, as well as 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, and we can see that God uses different people in different times and places to accomplish His work. One is called to sow, and other will reap the benefits of that sowing in a harvest. The main final product is that both the sower and the reaper will “rejoice together.” God is also the “One who makes things grow” as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 3. Often this is true as we minister to people. We may not always see final results but we can still invest our time and God’s Word with confidence of a positive final outcome. We can and should celebrate the good things received with thanksgiving.

2) Even in the literal harvest of gathering food we are to consider the needs of others, not merely our own needs. In Leviticus 23:22 we read, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.” Now this might seem strange to actually leave grain in the field, as we would expect thieves or rodents to have a feast. But perhaps God was teaching His people to leave it there BY FAITH and He would take care of those in need. The principle is to give and to share, not merely gather in.

3) Finally, let us also remember to use this harvest time as a time to grow in perseverance. Galatians 6:9,10 should come to mind: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” These commands relate to a mindset and heart motivation of sticking to the task until we see the final result. Disappointment or uncertainty can cause us to give up or become discouraged.

Along the way we do good, we rest and manage our lives to avoid weariness, we take precautions to stay healthy and protect the health of other people, and we focus our good works for all people. Literally, this verse in the Greek would read “all ethnos” or all ethnic groups of people. Perhaps God blesses us with so much more than we need so we can share it with the whole world. And especially when we consider the household of faith and growing the Lord’s Church throughout His world there is much we can do.

May God bless us together here in Atchison County as we pursue His harvest in our lives this season. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments at rockportbaptistchurch.com.