Harvest Time

It's finally starting to feel like fall, isn't it? Growing up, I used to associate September and the beginning of the school year with cooler weather, overcast skies, and dew on the ground. In recent years, however, it seems like the summers just keep getting longer and longer. Now that we're in November, it finally feels like fall to me. I like the cooler weather, the moisture in the air, and the change of seasons (as much as seasons change in Southern California). I also like that fall represents harvest time, a time of reaping and abundance. Although I don't know much about farming, I know most crops are planted in the spring, grow in the summer, and harvested in the fall.

This Sunday, November 6, we're celebrating our Harvest Festival at church. While it's not a farming or produce event, it will be a time to celebrate God's blessing and abundance. Starting at 11am, we'll have outdoor worship service in our courtyard, share in an early Thanksgiving lunch, and fellowship together with dessert, games, and activities in the afternoon. It's a celebration for everyone (even if you're not a farmer :) ). Please invite your family, friends, and neighbors.

In scripture, harvest represents God's gracious provision to us for which we give thanks, and His call for us to extend God's blessing to others. In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus tells His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field." God is "the Lord of the harvest." He supplies the blessing and abundance that we experience in life. As we give thanks for His provision, Jesus calls us to proclaim His name and share the good news with others. So we go out, and we tell people about Jesus and we invite them to church. In the book of Galatians, we again see the principle of sowing, reaping, and harvesting. Galatians 6:9-10 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people."

Fall is a time for harvesting and giving thanks. As scripture says, let us continue to work hard (like a good farmer), sow unto the Lord, and reap a bountiful harvest by blessing others.

God bless,

Pastor Darren