October 31, 2016

God’s Harvest Faithfulness

Genesis 8:13-22

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.

—  Genesis 8:22

We’ve come to the end of this series of reflections on the promise of harvest in this world and in our souls. We have seen how the process of growth in creation offers a fitting picture of the work God is doing in the human heart, and how that process leads us to deeper trust and hope in the work of Christ.

Today we are reminded again of God’s faithfulness throughout both the natural and spiritual processes of harvest. As the story of the flood reminds us, judgment is a reality. A perfectly righteous and holy God does not simply look the other way when we sin. But judgment is not the only word.

We live in a world where floods, droughts, and other disasters sometimes affect the prospect of a harvest. We also recognize that temptation, hurt, despair, and our own foolishness can affect the growth God cultivates in our souls. And sometimes, as with the great flood in Noah’s day, it may seem all is lost.

Yet God remains faithful. Just as God showed mercy to Noah and his family, so in Christ God demonstrates his faithfulness to us all.

Follow Jesus, embrace his Spirit’s cultivation of new life in your heart, and live in the trust and joy that God’s promised harvest gives you certainty for all eternity.

Faithful God, we praise you for your commitment to us. Bring us to Jesus so that we can grasp the full assurance of your harvest work in us. In his name we pray. Amen.

About the author — Joel Vande Werken

Joel Vande Werken has been a pastor since 2007, serving churches in Sussex, New Jersey, and in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Brandie, have five young children.

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