Keener Thoughts

July 2008 - John 4:35-38

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”

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Early this month I was in a Bible Conference, I am not sure which one, and I heard a preacher, and I do not remember who, give a wonderful illustration. I wish I did remember who the person was, I would like to give him credit for inspiring my thoughts herein. But, since I do not surely know the accuracy of this statement perhaps it is best this way. I have no doubt this brother gave the illustration honestly, and really do not question its final accuracy, because it makes sense. The illustration was this: The wood for a truly fine, stringed musical instrument must be harvested and prepared, and then, must age for eighty years, before the fine instrument is made. Then, the instrument must reach eighty years of age before its very best tones can be realized. Therefore the man who skillfully prepares the wood will never know the man who manufactures the instrument, and the man who makes the instrument will never live to hear its best tones.

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As I heard this illustration, and later meditated upon it, I thought of the words of the Lord in John 4:35-38, and I think I better understand what He meant. The fields were, at that moment, white unto harvest, and within a few years, these apostles would go forth reaping a harvest of souls never before seen or imaginable, both from among the Jews and the Gentiles. John the Baptist, and the many prophets before him, would not harvest the crops they had planted, nor would they live on this earth to see it done. The words all those men had penned, and the messages they had preached, would contribute to the great harvest on the day of Pentecost, and the days and years that followed, but the sowers would not participate in the harvest. This truth should both encourage us and humble us.

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It should encourage us because we can know that when we labor in sowing and watering, and see no harvest, we need never assume that there is no harvest. There is a harvest, yes, there is always a harvest. God’s word will not return void, but will accomplish its ordained purpose. He that goeth forth and weepth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again bringing his sheaves with him. Will it be in this life? I doubt that the Holy Spirit, by the Psalmist, promised that. Others, who come after us, will enter in to our labors and will reap where they did not sow. Someone will, indeed, reap where we sowed, but that diminishes nothing from our labor, and we shall receive wadges. It is true we will not get the glory for it, but that is probably God’s purpose in designing the harvest that way. He gets the glory and we do not. He is worthy, and we are not. The older I get, the more precious the promise is to me, that someone will reap where I have sown, lest I have labored in vain. I have sown where I will not have enough time left to reap. This incites me to pray that God will send laborers into the fields to reap where I have sown. By His grace and power it will all come out exactly right.

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This same truth should humble us. We are now reaping where others have sown. In Evangelism I often, though not often enough, see people come to Christ when I preach, in a situation where I bestowed no previous labor. When I hear someone say, of one who professes faith where I have preached,“We have been praying for her for so long,” or I hear a preacher say, “I have spoken to him so often,” I must know, if I can think at all, that I have reaped where others sowed. I rejoice that I was able to reap, but should I not, by faith, rejoice as much if I get to sow, and water, and do not reap the harvest? Another shall reap where I have sown. After all, we must remember that God, and only God, gives the increase. “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” (Ec. 11:1)

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“Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, sowing in the noontide, and the dewy eve: waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.” The next verse includes these words. “By and By the harvest.” If I rightly understand the meaning of the old English term, By and By, it means we do not know when, but it shall happen. The harvest is certainly coming. Whether it be soon, or in the distant future, we shall reap if we faint not! That is certain, so let us sow by faith. We may never, in this life, see the beautiful instrument or hear the sweetest of its music, but that does not mean the preparing of the wood is not important. Isn’t it a joy to have a cause that is of more value than your life. If that is the case with you, or me, our lives will never be wasted. Let us just keep on SOWING BY FAITH.

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Forrest L Keener