Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
On the other hand, the bountiful harvests God blessed you
with can just fall to the ground, may be scattered and blown away by wind.
Human predators can also come in and steal the bountiful harvests. Rain can
also come and destroy the harvests just as too much sun can also destroy the
harvests.
Beloved, harvests have to be protected by bringing them in
from the fields at the right time – just the right time to shield them from all
possible predators and process the harvests aright as well as secure them from
any form of destruction and waste. Perhaps, we should take a cue from some
Bible characters.
The Patriarch Isaac for instance brought in his harvests at
the right time and through the bountiful harvests secured aright, the Bible
records in Genesis Chapter 26 verses 12 to 14 that he began to prosper, and
continued prospering until he became very prosperous, beloved, it is
significant to note that Isaac did not allow his harvests to waste after
planting seeds in the land as instructed by God. Rather, he reaped the
harvests, brought it in and secured it safely as soon as it came in. that
explains his progressive prosperity - securing each harvest and profiting from
each harvest. Isaac did not gape at his harvests and left them in the fields.
Uncared for and unprocessed. If he did, the Philistines would have quickly
harvested them. Isaac also did not procrastinate or delay in bringing the
harvests in. that way, he could have lost some of the harvests. Isaac acted
fast - he reaped in the harvests as soon it came and secured the harvests for
profit.
Significant and quite instructive is the fact that the
harvests were bountiful yet Isaac paid prime attention to the harvests and
quickly brought them in. None of it was wasted.
Joseph and the Egyptians saw great harvests in the seven
years of bountiful harvests. Significantly and this is quite instructive; not a
single one of those harvests was allowed to waste. Each harvest was promptly
brought in and secured. That meant a lot of work was done at harvest time – a
time for diligent work and not play or gossip – real diligent work which ensured
food security for more than seven years despite the severe famine of seven
years.
Beloved, ponder a while. Is it possible that the people who
came from other lands to buy food resources from Egypt during the period of
famine also experienced bountiful harvests but did not manage the harvests
profitably to take them through the period of severe famine? Is it just
possible that they can be described as the son who slept through harvest and
caused shame in Proverbs Chapter 10 verse 5; the man who could not roast the
game he caught and allowed the animal to rot and waste because he was not
diligent in Proverbs Chapter 12 verse 27 – please also take note of verse 24;
as the man who put his hand in the bowl full of food but could not bring it
back to his mouth because of laziness and not because he was physically
challenged in Proverbs Chapter 26 verse 15 or even verses 12 to 16?
Beloved, harvests and harvest seasons are times of diligent
work when everyone should work hard and smart like the ants described in Proverbs
Chapters 6 verses 6 to 11, 30 verses 24 to 28; Joseph and his indefatigable
team in Egypt, Isaac and his men in Gerar who were never discouraged by the
activities of the Philistines who constantly sought to undermine and sabotage
their diligent and hard work.
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