James 5:7
The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains
Montana is a rural state with a strong farming foundation. Vast valleys of wheat fields, ranches with organic grass fed cattle, sheep farms...Montana may be a harsh environment, but the soil is rich and in the midst of the volatility of the landscape, life proves to be resilient and forces of wind, snow, heat and fire actually can nurture the long-term stability of farming.
I'm not a farmer, in fact I'm the worst green thumb in the world. Still I'm in awe of the process of farming, the meticulous work and planning that goes into planting, tending and shepherding, before the harvest.
Many of us don't see the hard work that goes into the food we purchase, we consume made to order...in truth it takes months, if not years for a harvest. It is a waiting process for the farmer, to a point, yet it isn't sitting around watching the clock. It is a constant process of work and reflection, monitoring and growing...even in the depth of cold snow and frost, the ground is at work, life persists...
We can apply this to our faith and relationship with God. We plant our faith in good soil, but it still needs to be nurtured in order to grow. The harvest is the gift of salvation, but it takes a lifetime of lessons and growth in faith, so that though the gift has been bought and received, we still need to nourish it. Otherwise it will shrivel up, or be knotted with weeds.
We have to learn to embrace patience in the process of 'suffering' 'anticipation' As Tom Petty, rocker and wordsmith puts it 'The waiting is the hardest part,' yet without waiting I've found the journey of faith is built on sand, toppling with the first storm. It is in waiting we reflect, we search to understand, we pray and learn to rely on God to work in our lives.
In my previous job, I worked as a booking agent. I'd spend sixty hours per week submitting my talented artists for performing arts centers, festivals to supper clubs and venues. It is a hard job, like the farmer you are constantly working to ensure the harvest of your work. Only 15% of venues reply. Less than 5% book, not due to lack of my efforts or the talent of my former roster, but due to the nature of the business - it is based on draw (the amount of people you bring in), buzz factor, popularity/radio airplay...yet I had faith in the talent of my artists, each day I'd work tirelessly promoting, planting seeds through emails and phone calls and making connections. At times I grew tired when I didn't get paid for work I'd done or venues chose a trendy band without depth of talent...still I pressed on. I grew in experience and my acts who should have been playing Carnegie Hall were willing to put in hours at hole in the wall clubs to small town performing arts centers because they were building and growing, knowing that persistence in faith, hope and hard work pays off...perhaps not with multi-platinum albums and sold out arenas, but success nonetheless.
In my frustration I had to rely on God, I realized that my lofty professional goals are far less important than the work he calls me to do. I found that helping lesser known acts to achieve small goals was God working through me. When God works through us, no matter how small the deed, his faithfulness shines through and the reward will be great and fulfill us with a harvest we could never plow on our own.
Advent isn't a time of waiting around as much as active anticipation: reflecting our human fragility, relying on God, repenting our sins, proclaiming the joy of Christ, the kingdom that has come and continues to overflow.
Wait in joyful anticipation, let the spirit of God work through you!
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