HARVEST DAY

HARVEST DAY

READ:
Galatians 6:1-10

whatever a man sows, that he
will also reap.  -Galatians 6:7

One autumn afternoon, I drove past a field where a farmer had parked some massive machinery by the side of the road.  A yellow caution sign read:  "Harvest in Progress."  As I glanced over at the field, I knew instantly what the farmer had planted several months ago-tiny kernels of corn.  I knew this because he was preparing to drive his harvesting equipment through acres of mature cornstalks.

While it may seem obvious that planting corn leads to harvesting corn, we sometimes deny the relationship between sowing and reaping in our spiritual lives.  The apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be deceived...; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).  Living to please our flesh yields corruption in the form of wanting what isn't ours, self-centeredness, and even substance abuse (5:19-21).  Walking with the Spirit produces peace, kindness, and self-control (5:22-23).  By God's grace, we can choose to "sow to the Spirit" and reap eternal life (6:8).

Suppose Jesus declared today "harvest day"  in our lives, and He asked us to gather up the yield of our everyday choices over the past year.  What would we have to show Him? - Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Things of the world often pull at my heart,
But, Lord, help me see the end from the start;
Open my eyes to where my life's going,
What I will reap from all I've been sowing. -K. DeHaan
*********************************************
The seeds we sow today determine
the kind of fruit we'll reap tomorrow.

INSIGHT
In this Scripture passage, we are shown how correcting others must be accompanied by humility and self-scrutiny.  We are to guard against thinking too highly of ourselves-it is misdirected to believe we could not fall into a similar sin.  We are to do a moral inventory of our own spiritual state and productivity.  In doing so, personal satisfaction is acceptable as long as we know who has given us the power to perform.  In addition, conscientious fulfillment of our personal responsibilities should take place.  Grace and discipline should characterize our working relationships with others-we should carry one another's burdens.

Have a blessed day and week ahead.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace