Harvest Time

It is fall—my favorite time of year.  I love the colors: oranges, purples, reds and yellows.  The fall sunsets: so bright and majestic—reminding me of God the artist and creator of all.  The fall flowers—picking from my garden and buying from the local market—making arrangements bursting with color and joy to blend with the pumpkins on the mantel, firepit, front porch, back patio. Cooler mornings—quiet times with my Bible and coffee on the patio-- and hikes at the lake—calm and serene. Lavender skies at sunset as I sit in my backyard and take in the quietness of the hills surrounding me.  It is harvest time—pumpkins, and apples, and leaves falling and air turning crisp. Fall represents the turn of the season, and for me it has been quite a season.

This Thursday I head into the operating room for  surgery on the tumors—three  masses to remove at different locations in my body. Two renowned surgeons.  And one body, mind, soul, and spirit that is ready to trust in God’s mighty hand and healing power.  Everything since my diagnosis has led to this point—appointments, chemotherapy, side effects, procedures—all to reduce the size of the tumors and zap those cancer cells.  It is harvest time for those tumors and I am ready to enter a new season of recovery, health, and being cancer free. 

I have learned so much about waiting and patience during this time.  I have learned that my timing is not God’s timing and my plans are not always God’s plans.  I have learned to rest on God’s promises and live on the solid rock of His foundation.  It has not been easy.  I think of the farmer who must go through the process of developing a bountiful harvest.  He must prepare the soil, plant the seeds, fertilize, water….and then wait.  He must relinquish control to the forces of nature and weather and wind, rain, storm and drought. Sometimes he loses a whole crop and must begin again.  And at other times the harvest is abundant and sweet and good.

The Bible is filled with references to farmers, soil, crops, vines, and harvest.  We learn to cling to the vine, land on good soil, fertilize our faith life, dwell by streams of living water, and be workers of the harvest. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. Apart from the vine we can bear NO fruit.

 

It’s harvest time—what season are you in? Are you parched and dry and burnt out? Are you just a seedling, peeking out and seeking  living water?  Are you thirsting for sun, water, and fertilizer so you can grow more? Are you barren? Are you beaten down by the elements surrounding you?  Are you producing fruit in an abundant harvest of joy?

Whatever season you are in, there is hope-- there is a harvest at the end. I have experienced all seasons and have had to wait and hope. There is a time and a season for everything under the sun.  And I rest in the hands of the Master Gardener, the Great I Am, the King of Kings, the Hope and Peace for all.