Worship II Day 10 Finding Life

Psalm 36:5-12
Psalm 95
Mark 4:1-20
Philippians 2:12-13
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

There’s something about autumn days that makes my heart glad. Along with its vivid colors that emerge everywhere this time of year, I’m also rejuvenated by the constant messages of how important it is to maintain a thankful heart. Even in the midst of the greed in our nation, many Americans take the opportunity during this season to express their gratefulness to God for their abundance.

If you have attended a US church service during November, you may have sung the hymn written by Henry Alford, “Come Ye Thankful People Come”. It’s often sung during the Thanksgiving season as a song of praise to God for a bountiful harvest. However, there is a much deeper truth that I had never noticed until I meditated on the words of all the verses. The message of the song causes us to consider whether we are sincerely thankful people of God (wheat) or are only going through the motions (tares/weeds). If we’re redeemed, our thankfulness should not be limited to a prayer we voice at an annual family gathering.

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home.
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

I seldom use the word, but I am quite sure that a “bountiful” yield would have great impact on those who work the land all summer, hoping for an abundant crop to provide for them through the winter. These words invite us into the celebration of the gatherers.
I didn’t grow up day to day with much of a harvester mentality, though my grandfather was quite a gardener. I have fond memories of my childhood visits with my grandparents during the summer. Before we ate, they always bowed and thanked God for the “good garden”.
Oh come…Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise … let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! (Psalm 95:1-6)
Our Creator Father invites us to daily feast on His goodness and the provision of salvation. He has supplied us with all we need for our souls to be filled.

Come, thankful people.
Come to Jesus … and live.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

Even the farmer doesn’t fully grasp the mystery of gardening. Jesus spoke about this process in a parable: “This is what the kingdom of God is like…” (Mark 4:26-29)

Jesus said that His kingdom is like a worker who plants the seed and waits for the produce. Ultimately, our sovereign God works in the heart of man to produce people who reflect His glory. We can’t fully comprehend this.

While I wait for His return, He continues the work of making me pure.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
He is working in us in ways we can’t see, making us like His Son.

Come, thankful people.
Come to Jesus … and live.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take the harvest home.
From the field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store in the garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring thy final harvest home.
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin.
There, forever purified, in Thy presence to abide.
Come, with all Thine angels, come, raise the glorious harvest home.

If there’s anything that should cause the people of God to come with thankful hearts in worship, it’s the promise that He’s preparing a place for us. One day, the Son will return for His bride and the Church of Christ will make its home with Him forever. We will live eternally in a place where nothing will hide His glory or goodness. But with this good news is the reality that for those who do not put the full weight of their hope in Jesus, it will not be glorious.
Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace…Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:40-43)

The reality is that there will be a day of separation.
So, it is with grateful hearts that we fall on Jesus – the Way, the Truth and the Life.
He will gather the redeemed to Himself forever.

Come, thankful people.
Come to Jesus … and live.

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