Harvest Thanksgiving is one of those times in the year when people take the opportunity to visit other Churches. For some it is because of friendship connections, for others it may be the once in a year chance to return to a childhood church. One of the privileges of being in ministry is that invitations are often extended to preach in other churches at Harvest Thanksgiving Services. This year I have the honour of being asked to preach in two other Churches during the Harvest Season. No matter which Church I go to at Harvest, I am always struck by the smells of creation and beauty of the displays. Each one is uniquely crafted and individually styled.
In Psalm 139 verse 14 we read “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Like the many floral displays we see in the Churches, each of us are wonderfully made by God. He sees us for who we are and sees the potential in each of us and like the Psalmist we should also ‘Praise God’. No matter where we are and no matter what we look at we can see the wonderful things that God has created and know that they come directly from Him.
Do you remember the old black and white T.V.’s? When I was a child I remember asking my Grandmother was everything black and white when she was growing up. In Lamentations chapter 3 verse 25 we read “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” God could have created a black and white world with no scents, no sounds, no tastes and where everything looks the same, but He didn’t. Out of God’s goodness and grace He created a world full of incredible beauty and variety.
God’s generosity is also made known to us in His kindness and unfailing love. As each of us are wonderfully made by God, He has made a way by which we can be made perfect in His sight. Jesus dying on the cross in our place means that our sins can be removed from us ‘as far as the east is from the west…’ (Psalm 103:12). Allowing God’s love to transform us means that we will be ready when God moves across the world in the final Harvest.
Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home. (Hymn 37)
In Psalm 139 verse 14 we read “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Like the many floral displays we see in the Churches, each of us are wonderfully made by God. He sees us for who we are and sees the potential in each of us and like the Psalmist we should also ‘Praise God’. No matter where we are and no matter what we look at we can see the wonderful things that God has created and know that they come directly from Him.
Do you remember the old black and white T.V.’s? When I was a child I remember asking my Grandmother was everything black and white when she was growing up. In Lamentations chapter 3 verse 25 we read “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” God could have created a black and white world with no scents, no sounds, no tastes and where everything looks the same, but He didn’t. Out of God’s goodness and grace He created a world full of incredible beauty and variety.
God’s generosity is also made known to us in His kindness and unfailing love. As each of us are wonderfully made by God, He has made a way by which we can be made perfect in His sight. Jesus dying on the cross in our place means that our sins can be removed from us ‘as far as the east is from the west…’ (Psalm 103:12). Allowing God’s love to transform us means that we will be ready when God moves across the world in the final Harvest.
Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home. (Hymn 37)
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