John 4:35-36 Do you not say, “There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest”? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already, he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
Jesus continued talking about spiritual agriculture. The food He had been eating had already been harvested by the reapers, and He was enjoying the harvest. To bring the spiritual analogy front and center, He probably pointed to the crowd of men walking from the city, through the fields which were still four months from being ready to harvest. Most would have been dressed in white. The fields, indeed, were white for harvest. Jesus had planted the seeds of eternal life in the woman, who then went and planted the same seeds in the men of the city. Now, God had caused the seeds to take root and bear fruit. The time for fruit gathering had arrived, and that’s when both the sowers and the reapers rejoice together.
This is a great description of the experiences of those living to love with Jesus. As God places people in our paths, Jesus loves them through us. Depending on God’s working in the field, we can be both sowers and reapers. Most of the time, I realize I’m planting seeds. Usually, I only have a minute or two with someone who is serving me in a restaurant or place of business. I want to be thoughtful of their time. Since I pray each morning for those whom the Lord is going to put in my path, I can say that I prayed for them, but didn’t know who they were going to be. With them standing in front of me, now I know. So I will then say, that when I prayed, God knew it was going to be them. Then I’ll say, it must be important to you, that you know today, that God knows you and loves you. Depending on how the Lord has them answer, I’ll either plant the seed of knowing God and His love or water seeds that have already been planted.
The encouragement today is that it is a joy to both sow and reap. It is God that causes the growth, so there’s no pressure to have to make something happen. We simply can go with the flow that the Father has established for our day, as He establishes the steps of His creatures. Let’s notice, to have that moment of rejoicing, we must participate in the sowing and reaping. When we live to love with Jesus, we will be used of God for His glory and joy.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
