Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, 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 the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7-8)
With the first day of Fall, harvest time is upon us. The farmer who planted seeds in the Spring and patiently endured through the Summer is reaping the precious fruit of God’s good earth in the Fall. “Look to the farmers” is the simple encouragement of James 5. Notice their patience. Learn from their perspective. “For,” James draws the parallel, “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” A different sort of harvest is on the horizon. We are one day closer than we were yesterday. Who but the Lord knows when that coming will be? In the meantime? The God-breathed encouragement is quite different from the perspective of this world on a Monday morning…
Work as much as you can.
Make as much money as you can.
Acquire as many assets as you can.
Hoard as many things as you can.
Climb the ladder of prestige as high as you can.
Watch as much football as you can.
Play as much golf as you can.
Stream as many shows as you can.
Go on as many vacations as you can.
Retire in as much luxury as you can.
Indulge yourself as much as you can.
No, the encouragement of James 5 is quite different… establish your hearts …based on a very different perspective. Physical strength fails. Money comes and goes. Assets corrode. Things rot. Prestige is fleeting. Sports are largely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. When push comes to shove, golf is chasing a little white ball around for four hours. What have we really gained after binging an entire season of Hollywood’s latest project? The best vacations? Just temporary escapes. Luxury fades. Retirement doesn’t last forever. Indulgence feels good in the moment, only to leave us empty in the end. But your God-given heart? What you do with your heart matters more than anything. Your experience of eternity will be shaped by the identity of the occupant on the throne of your heart. Who reigns there? Who’s really your “Lord”?
By all means, enjoy the Monday your Creator and Sustainer has provided. But listen carefully to the timeless wisdom and ever-relevant perspective of James 5. We are living in the last days (5:3). The Judge is standing at the door (5:9). The Lord is compassionate and merciful, and he has a purpose for your life (5:11). Use the “Spring” and “Summer” of life to establish your heart because harvest time is coming (5:7-8). How can I do that? James 5 is a great place to start.
Be patient (5:7-8).
Don’t grumble against one another (5:9).
Remain steadfast (5:10-11).
Trust the Lord’s purpose and entrust yourself to his heart (5:11).
Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no (5:12).
Pray in faith (5:13, 16).
Sing praise (5:13).
Let others know when you could use some help (5:14).
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another (5:16).
Comfort and support each other along the path to our eternal home (5:19-20).
Notice the hard-working farmers over the next few weeks. Take the time to appreciate where that precious fruit of the earth came from and what it cost. You also be patient. Establish your heart. The coming of the Lord is at hand.