Fall 2003
Preparation for the Harvest
Wade E Taylor

“Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed,
some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and
devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where
they had not much earth: and immediately they sprung up,
because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun
was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root,
they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the
thorns sprung up, and choked them.”

“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit,
some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Matthew 13:3-8.

In the spring, with anticipation of a harvest, the soil is turned and carefully prepared. Then, seed is sown within the soil. The quality and the quantity of the harvest, depend on the time taken in the preparation of the soil to receive the seed, and then, in removing all weeds, as the seed grows.

The time we take to prepare our spirit to receive the Word of the Lord is very important. Only to the extent that we carefully prepare the “soil” of our heart, and guard the “atmosphere” in which we abide, can the Word be effectively sown into our lives, and an increase expected.

Summer will bring into full manifestation the “potential” that was hidden within each of the seeds that had been committed to the soil, with hope and expectancy. The quality of the harvest will be greatly affected by the amount of “Son” (Jesus) that shines upon the soil, and the amount of “Rain” (Holy Spirit) that waters the soil.

There are relationships and things that must be dealt with, if we are to maintain the quality of the “soil” of our spirit, to be able to receive the “Son” and “Rain” necessary to have the harvest we desire.

The “soil,” into which the seed is sown (the carefully prepared furrow), speaks of our being in the center of the will of the Lord. The “wayside” speaks of areas in our life that are outside the will of the Lord for us: places where we should not be - where we will eternally loose much of what the Lord desires for us.

The “stones” are things we have, which are not necessarily sinful, but will hinder, or hold us down. If we truly desire to come up into His presence, we must separate ourselves from these things.

The “thorns” speak of attitudes or opinions, which are sharp, like the thorns on the stem of a rose: beautiful to look at from a distance, but draw blood, if touched. There are people with piercing attitudes that must be kept at a distance.

As the time of the harvest approaches, we desire the sun to shine, and rain to fall upon our garden. So also, we need a greater release and impartation of recurrent “Son” and “Rain” upon our spiritual garden, that an abundance of “fruit” will result.

Our Heavenly Father patiently waits for the maturing of His Body, that there will be an abundant end-time harvest.