Laws of the Harvest Part 2

You Reap After You Sow
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galations 6:8
Potting soil. Empty milk cartons. Butter beans. All part of a kindergardener's introduction to farming. OK, not exactly "farming". We planted our beans in our little cartons and watered them carefully - well, we were 5, so our first watering was more enthusiastic than careful. After pouring out our "soil soup" and starting over, we carried our beans home to put on a window sill and wait for our harvest to come in. Did I mention we were 5? I can't speak for my classmates of 50 years ago, but when a few days went by without any home-grown beans on the menu, I dumped out the dirt to look at the planted bean. In case you were wondering, they don't respond well to that kind of treatment. Yes, I'm a bean-killer!
Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8

We are living in the "Instant" generation. We no longer want it 'now', we want it yesterday. In today's world, patience is not a virtue. It's a sign of weakness. Waiting for anything seems to be beyond our ability - or maybe just beyond our desires. But in the Kingdom of Heaven (that realm of the heart where people willingly submit to the will of God), patient endurance is a vital part of God's design for our lives. We "wait upon the Lord" to renew our strength, until the fruit of the Spirit comes to ripeness, until the proper season. And if we don't? We short-circuit the blessing of God and rob ourselves of His provision. So, don't give up. Don't jump the gun. Don't pull your beans out of the dirt before they can sprout!


And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9