All around me I am beginning to see signs that summer is fading and autumn is once again upon us. Even though there have been no frosts where I live in New York, the leaves are beginning their slow fade from vibrant greens to rich orange, red, and yellows. Farmers are chopping corn as fast as they can and trying to get the last of their hay cut. Farm stands are selling pumpkins, apple cider is filling shelves, people are talking about pies and soups again, and in the evening you are beginning to feel a slight chill to the air that has been absent for the past four months. All of this reminds me that we are in one of the busiest times of the year – harvest season.
Harvest time is the last phase before the daggers of winter are thrust on us again. It is the time of the year when everyone makes sure that they have prepared well enough to sustain themselves through the long, cold winter months. In some ways, it could be considered the most crucial time of year. Why? Because you cannot allow yourself to become distracted. You cannot afford to be unfocused. There is no extra time to prepare anymore. Spring and summer have come and gone, the time for sowing has passed. It is now time to reap. It is time for evaluations.
Recently, I had a phone conversation with my brother. After bantering with him for a while, I remarked to him that I needed to prioritize better, that I was being too distracted by the unimportant things of life. I have thought very much about this since then. As this week is coming to a close, I am reminded that there is a perfect time to set aside distractions. It is the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a perfect time to slow down, rest, and refocus. It was intended for us to seek God on this day, to set aside our desires for His.
My encouragement to everyone this Sabbath is to take some time to evaluate. It is never a bad thing to make time for a tune-up. Nothing makes a car owner happier than when his vehicle runs smoothly and efficiently. So too the Christian when his heart and mind have been “serviced” by our Holy God.
