I love how Jesus spoke to people during his 3 years of ministry. He understood who the people were he was trying to reach. He spoke to them in terms they could understand. Though he had the wisdom of eternity, Jesus made sure that anyone, young or old, educated or not, could comprehend the message he was sharing. For the people of his day, agriculture was most widely understood. People worked the land, lived off the land, and depended on the land. So when Jesus spoke about the idea of sowing and reaping, of laying down seed on rocky or fertile soil, and of times of harvest, they got it. It was a part of who they were, and it helped connect the dots for thousands during that time, and billions of people since.

Though I don't claim to be an expert of farming techniques, I can easily understand that there are times to plant, to nurture, to wait, and to harvest. 

Plant. Nurture. Wait. Harvest.

Plant. Nurture. Wait. Harvest.

Plant. Nurture. Wait. Harvest.

There's something about the rhythm of that process that makes sense. There is a certain comfort in the idea. It's predictable. There is hope for what is to come. There is an understanding that every season holds a purpose.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.

I don't know in what season of your life you are, but I do know that it is temporary. Maybe you are experiencing great physical pain -- healing is coming. Maybe you are dealing with emotional stress that seems unbearable right now -- there is an end in sight. Perhaps it seems like you will never overcome that addiction -- victory is just around the corner if you take those steps to get the help you need. Or maybe things in your life are stagnant right now -- be patient, God's got something in the works for you. Whatever it is; physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual -- this is a season. It will pass.

As great as the harvest time is, it can't happen without a time of planting, of nurturing, and of waiting. Don't give up hope, the next season is coming. Take the time that you have now to put your focus on God, to seek his face, to experience is great love for you, and to prepare for what's next.

The simple truth about farming is that there is always work to do. Regardless of the season you find yourself in right now, there is work you can must do to get to the next step. God does not just drop a great harvest in your lap. It takes work, patience, and endurance. So, embrace the season in which you find your self. The lessons you learn now will serve you in your journey.

Gather with us this Sunday as we continue in our series, Harvest. Invite a friend, it could change their life.