As September gives way to October (Thought for October 2024)

Harvest As September gives way to October, it is a time to give thanks for the Harvest. Yet ask yourselves, how do you approach harvest time? Is it just another Sunday where we sing those familiar hymns such as ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter? A familiar hymn, but most of us no longer actually do that. We don’t grow our own food we get it from the local shops and trust that whenever we go to them we will be able to find everything that we need to feed ourselves and our families. We take our food supply for granted and there can be much grumbling when a particular item is in short supply.

I have been reading in the papers that many farmers are saying that there will be a poor harvest this year due to the excessive amounts of rain we had in the early summer months and not enough sunshine. Analysis from the Government predicted that this year’s harvest was set to be among the worst three since detailed records began in 1983. Yet, thankfully, whilst this may lead to higher prices for some of our foods, we are unlikely to face famine as, sadly several of the poorer countries do regularly. It is a time to give thanks for God’s goodness to us, for however good or bad the harvest may be, he gives us sufficient.

Psalm 65 tells us in vv 9-11

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.

How much more does the One who cares and waters our land care for us, when we become children of His through faith in Christ Jesus (see Galatians 3:26). In the earlier verse of that Psalm 65, David is rendering praise to God for answered prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of the people saying in v 4. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. When the Lord chooses us and we respond in faith we can know much blessing as he brings us into his household which is filled with good things. Then as we sing ‘Come Ye Thankful People Come’ we close with that great hope of eternity in the final verse:

Even so, Lord, quickly come Bring thy final harvest home;

Gather thou thy people in, Free from sorrow free from sin;

There, for ever purified. In thy garner to abide:

Come, with all thine angels, come Raise the glorious harvest home

(Henry Alford 1810-71)

Stuart

Elder

Oct 2024