Lord of the Harvest

During the last month, my household has been enjoying 3 different kinds of peaches, an abundance of plums, and now we are harvesting nectarines and tomatoes. Apples and raspberries look to be in the coming weeks.

We’ve given some away to friends, family and neighbors and even had a few “ice cream and peaches” dessert nights. Sticky hands and faces are common along with the smiles and wonder that comes from enjoying natural delights.

Of course this didn’t just happen…we had to purchase small fruit trees, dig holes, put in gopher baskets, erect a deer fence, install and operate irrigation drip lines, fertilize, week, prune and protect from pests. Whew—I get tired remembering all of that! Most of us prefer the experience of the first paragraph, not the details and work of this second paragraph.

I share this information about our fruit bearing plants to encourage us to press forward in growth in the Lord…both personally and as a church. The Lord calls us to use our gifts, to pray for His blessing and workers and to persevere in service and faithfulness.

I have seen through several weeks of the Equipping Hour, our church community learning, discussing, praying and following the Spirit. As we abide in Christ (walk in step, in faith we obey and trust) the Spirit produces fruit. As a church we take efforts to welcome new people into our community…the Spirit responds in love.

Sometimes we see fruit and rejoice…sometimes we labor and wait in hope for results. Actually if fruit trees are an appropriate teacher, we will spend a lot more time in preparation and management than we will in harvesting. Either way the Lord is in charge of the harvest and we can trust Him for the bounty in the end. I hope you are excited about all that the Lord will do in and through HSCC in the coming months.