The Harvest is Past...the Wayfarer 6/28/14

The Harvest is Past
 6/28/14

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”

(Jeremiah 8:20-22)

As I look at my garden, growing well and enjoying the recent rains each plant promising its own fruits to be harvested at a future time, I recognize the efforts that have already gone into that garden, and those yet required if those fruits are to be brought in.

The weeds too have sprung up and are outstripping the growth of the plants  that so much love and effort have gone into, attempting to sap the strength of the ground and steal the nutrients from all the various vegetables, and melons that are the focus of the effort to grow that garden.

In my readings, I found the opening verse catching my attention, and as is often, I backtracked and read a good bit more to put into context what it is that this scripture must have in store for me this particular day.

Like my garden, distractions and “important issues” delayed a good bit of the initial need for attendance to the task of the actual writing now being attempted.

Like my garden, should I allow those distractions to keep me from the required attention, all fruit to be harvested would be quite lost, so I begin the day long behind schedule, in recognition that it is not only my attention that has been distracted, but that of an entire world too busy to attend to things more important than the menial things of the day.

“Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes  a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people!

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they  be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

And they bend their tongues and like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 9:1-3)

As this old prophet continued in his lamentation for Gilead, and asked if no physician were available within it, he recognized a sickness, a disease that was all consuming: that would in fact lead to the death and destruction of his people if not attended to.

The place in the wilderness to find refuge for the wayfarer was not to be found, there was no escape from that wickedness that seemingly triumphed over the very cure needed to prevent that death and destruction, the very presence within that people was troubling to him as he summed up quite well the cause of that disease in the third verse.

Day to day, the interactions between people will reveal the true natures of that people.

Just as there was no escape for that old prophet, there is none for those who continue to search for truth among the lies, the good interspaced with the evil that has come to outweigh the good, just as the weeds will overtake a garden not attended to.

“Take ye heed every one his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders.

And they will deceive every  one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

Thine habitation is in the midst of their deceit: through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 9:4-6)

Deceit has become the most common attribute among nations of the world, bringing with it all the turmoil and strife and warfare that must inevitably follow.

Deceit, within the people of all those nations, has led to the attempt to utterly displace all the teachings left us by Christ Jesus, both between the nations themselves, and in the dealings of the peoples of those nations with each other as well.

Deceit is so common that it is expected in the dealings of business among those peoples, whether in the market places foisting low quality products on the customers, or even within the communities themselves, to include the "bastions of faith" that denigrate the very truths taught by Christ.

“Therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out: it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, in in heart he layeth wait.

Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations  of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them: neither can men hear the voice  of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.

And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitation.

Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through.

And the Lord saith, because they have forsaken my law which I have set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.”

(Jeremiah 9:7-16)

Is there, then, no hope, for a people gone so far astray? Is there no way to escape from the assured wrath that is promised here within this passage?

The answer to these questions lies within the very hearts of each individual within this and all nations. It lies within the promise and warning also given by that voice that declared the necessity of finding, and following, the Way, through the Truth, to the Life that may be given instead of the wrath.

“Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and DO the FIRST works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT.”

(Revelation 2:4 & 5)

Christianity is under attack from all sides. The teachings of the fathers of all nations have fallen back to the teachings that were followed in the time of Jeremiah.

Falsity abounds in all action and in all speech, both from the leaders of peoples to the peoples being led. Falsity abounds in the dealings between those claiming Christianity with each other, as each attempts to garner followers, increasing numbers, only to fill pockets of the most deceitful.

The first love is forgotten, as, each continues to “take care of number one”.

The commandment of Christ to love one another is ignored, with an attempt to justify having left that love while all the time hiding behind deceitful speech, in that effort to “take care of number one.”

The simple message of redemption through repentance and actually having and showing it through the daily adherence to the teachings of Christ, is being abandoned by them in droves as they are still in the search for riches that perish, weeds overtaking the Garden that was intended to be so fruitful.

The golden rule, that was given by Christ ,is turned to abomination, as it is bastardized into the effort to “do unto others before they do unto you.”

The harvest is spoiling in the field, no effort at attendance being given, its sustenance wasted while the pleasures of the moment are pursued instead.

This simple sinner, saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, soldier in HIS army, who sees the spoil of that harvest, and the waste that occurs daily, cannot but repeat the necessity to:

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

“Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you; Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth forever.”

(John 8:34 & 35)

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

(John 7:24)

“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest the 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 labor: other men labored and ye are entered into their labors.”

(John 4:34-38)

“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as a sheep having no shepherd.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;

 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.”

(Matthew 9:37& 38)

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

(John 13:35)

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

(Revelation 22:20 & 21)

Amen and Amen!
the Wayfarer