Aug 15-16, 2020
Rev. Raphael Chow
Cool wind breezing, clear moon shining, sunset gleaming, twilight captivating – this is autumn.
Spring is mixed with cold and warmth, shying people away from time to time; the aggressive summer sometimes makes people breathless; and the winter, the tyrannical winter simply puts people stay away. When autumn quietly comes, she simply transforms the sky and the earth without rush and force. The dawn was dressed in golden and reddish colored clothes, the sun became gentle, and the trees were hung with brown-red and light-yellow coats, and the geese who scraped and talked lined up and flew over the sky, and the red and crimson clouds in the distance took the blue sky. Such a noble scene just suspended the time.
Autumn is also a time of joy. Farmers plow in spring, cultivate in summer, harvest in autumn, store in winter. They prepare the soil and plant seeds to start cultivation in spring, irrigate and fertilize in summer. Autumn is the day to harvest crops. Farmers celebrated with joy on the autumn harvest day. This happens around the world: Pentecost in Israel, Thanksgiving in many North American and European countries, and autumn harvest festivals in the East such as China and Vietnam, to name but a few. After much sweating, the fields of jade become sea of gold ready for harvesting, budding of flowers turned into fruits ready for picking. The joy of the farmer is certainly incomprehensible.
This, I think, is similar to spiritual life. Seeds planted in our hearts as we have accepted God’s Word (Matthew 13:3-23; Luke 8:4-15), and Heavenly Father sends His servants to water it (1 Corinthians 3.6). But our hearts must accept and persevere (Luke 8.12) the Words – persevere against trials (Luke 8.13), overcome the temptation of riches and pleasures of life (Luke 8:14), and eventually bear fruit in patience (Luke 8:15), just like good seeds. Matured crop, I perceive, does not meant works. Rather, it is the Christ-like character (Gal. 5:22-23). Work merely reflects our spiritual character. Otherwise, we might be trapped in delusion, just like those keep working and even do many mighty works in the name of the Lord but are not remembered by the Lord (Matthew 7:22-23).
Have you harvested anything this autumn? Can our Heavenly Father harvest any fruit in your heart? Would that be love, joy (happy and contented in God), peace (harmonious living), patience (keeping calm in provocation), kindness (good for others, generosity), goodness (focus on the benefits of others), faithfulness (trustworthiness), gentleness (humility), self-control (control of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires) (Gal. 5:22-23) that He gets? Yes, this is easier said than done. But the Lord will help us (John 15:2). If we continue to endure without giving up, we will stand firm in victory eventually.
May the Lord be satisfied and filled with the bountiful harvest of our serving hearts. May the name of our Lord be glorified.