James 5:7-8 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and latter rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
I love the way James compares our Maker to a farmer and you and me to God’s precious fruit. As the Farmer God waters and prunes His garden, the objects of his affections develop.
The Farmer keeps His eye on the coming, delightful fruit of His labors, anticipating the day He plucks you from the vine, holds you up in His palm, and examines His prize.
Fruit Bearing Takes Patience
While James’ point is patience, I couldn’t help but be caught up in the word precious. You and I are precious to Him. That is the mystery, the unbelievable and miraculous mystery of life. We are precious to the God of all.
But to James’s point, let us also be patient, waiting for the cultivation of God’s people. He’s still in the garden, pulling weeds and pruning wild vines. Though we long to see His coming—the great rescue before the days of wrath–there is work to be done. He is not slow in coming, (2 Peter 3:9), preparing to yield a great harvest. And that day is just ahead.
The Fruit Becomes the Worker
Here is another, miraculous mystery revealed in these last days: we, being the fruit are also co-laborers in fields about to be harvested.
1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
While we are the product of our Maker’s hands, we are also fashioned to work beside Him. As His prized production, we become His co-laborers in the garden. Our jobs are to search out the unruly vines and bring them to the gardener. We also fruit pluck. This is the mystery of God’s unchanging will–you and I are to be building a kingdom for Him to return to. To unravel this mystery, check out my Bible Brief Bible Study for only 10.99 on Amazon.
I have first-hand knowledge that the sharing of God’s Word around the world is speeding up. People groups who have not had access to the Word of Truth are given access through digital means and faster Bible translation efforts. There is work yet to be done, so let us pray, as we patiently wait upon the Lord, that as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:14, that His Word go to the ends of the earth, and then . . . the end (or the beginning, I like to say) would come.
The truth: He is coming. And we, anticipating this great and awesome day, should be up to our elbows in garden soil, preparing for a harvest.
Who is with me?
If I perish, I perish,
Laurie
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Author Laurie Green Westlake 