“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
Charlie and I have been looking at our world and the past year through the eyes of this verse. Who are the laborers? We are, our son is, our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and fellow believers are. What does the harvest look like? As we put our harvest goggles on and look back at 2011, here is what we see…
Our son Charles…who already loves joining in to gather the harvest with us. He loves to blow the living room clean with his toy blower (“Bo”), in imitation of “Dada”. He reminded Mommy multiple times a day to vacuum (“Bvaa”) this summer, and the vacuum still ranks as his favorite power tool. He’d probably prefer the spray bottle, the hammer, the broom, the watering can, or the lawn mower to any toy if he had the choice; if he has seen Mama or Dada use it, he wants to use it too. A frequent mantra in our home is an expectant “Ready?” to which Charles always responds “Do!” (Go). This word not only applies to all the tools we’ve already mentioned, it can also communicate: “Read this book I am bringing up to you,” “Do that again,” or “I am about to run to a destination.” His current favorite words are “Mama” and a very manly “djuwu” (“truck”). Needless to say, he is a delight and keeps us immensely entertained. Sometimes I am tempted to think of taking care of Charles as a lot of work, but the Holy Spirit has been faithful, and this harvest verse helps to guide my thinking. Mercifully, God didn’t require me to build Charles’ bone structure or create his soul. I don’t need to keep the earth in its rotation at a perfect distance from its heat source. God didn’t give me the important jobs. He has given grocery stores full of tomatoes, butter, and pasta, along with the pots and stove to cook them with. He has given me friends and family who have showered Charles with blankets, handsome sweaters, and toys. I have diapers and a garbage can. He gives me a significant portion of every 24-hour period to sleep. He has given me an incredibly loving husband. And then he gave me a son! What is more, He has given His own Son. The “labor” of being a Mom is actually the joy of receiving all these gifts and sharing the harvest with Charles.
Charlie’s handiwork… Charlie tackled a significant home remodel this summer and we are now enjoying a new study, a bigger bedroom for Charles, and a beautiful new roof. We’ve enjoyed sitting in the study after Charles goes to bed, turning the lights off, watching the shadows of the trees outside dance on our new walls, and recounting memories from the house project. From taking claw hammers to the walls, to reducing the bathroom to a foot-wide path to the toilet, to tearing off 4 layers of shingles, to saving the chimney from near collapse, to witnessing our friend and fellow builder take a back somersault down the roof with saw in hand (he’s fine), we are thankful to be on this side of the process. The first-hand help we have received includes at least 20 households— thank you to everyone who shared their sweat, skill, tools, and time with us. Charlie continues to enjoy working at The Oaks and serving as a Deacon at church. He loves to surprise his wife with dark chocolate and spontaneous dates, throw Charles in the air and wrestle with him, and read a good book. On December 31st he accomplished his goal to finish 25 books for the year (He strongly recommends book #25 “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer).
Turning our eyes to the present, we want to keep our harvest goggles on. Before one of the most famous prophecies of Christ, Isaiah 9:3 says, “You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” Christianity is so beautiful! We do not have to earn God’s favor; our labor is not penance—it’s more like a party. We can enter into the labors of 2012 like men dividing the spoil of battle. Why? Because of verse 6: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Christ’s life, death, and burial were the plowing, planting, and death of a mighty seed. HE DOES ALL THE WORK. And now, the harvest has come: “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7).
