Stan Toler writes a very good article on the "Law of the Harvest."
God isn't a "finders keepers" Father. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, according to James. His greatest gift was His only Son. Out of His love for us, God was willing to give His dearest possession on our behalf. He gave, and we reap the eternal benefit.
That same cycle of giving can be realized in our lives in other ways. God promises to supply in response to our service. Remember what Jesus said, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt. 6:33). Let's look at this Law of the Harvest to see how it applies to our lives.
We Reap What We Invest
In nature, the harvest comes only after sowing. In football, the touchdown comes after the run or the pass. In science, the discovery comes after the experiment. The effort produces the effect. It's the same in the spiritual realm. The Bible says, "The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward" (Prov. 11:18).
In God's kingdom, our investments result in expectations. It's a matter of faith. We invest, and then we believe God for the return. And you can be assured that no financial statement on earth will ever reflect a greater return on investment than what we will receive from our Heavenly Father.
Our returns will not always be given in dollars. There are more important things than monetary reward: peace, love, joy, purpose, family, talents. The list of benefits is nearly endless--but it all starts with our personal investment.
We Reap In God's Time
The wisdom writer said, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Eccles. 3:1). In the human realm, we're often on a predictable financial time clock. We live by quarterly or year-end reports. We circle April 15 on our calendars. We receive paychecks every two weeks.
But God isn't necessarily on the same schedule. He rewards us in "due time." First Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." God isn't limited by earth's time or space. He looks beyond the immediate to the long range. Throughout history, His prophecies and promises have been given when the time was right--and always right on time.
God knows exactly what you need and when you need it. You may not see an immediate return on some investment of time, talent, or treasure that you have made; but it will come along right on schedule--God's schedule. Your job is to keep working and trust the Lord of the Harvest.
We Reap More Than We Invest
Jesus illustrated this principle in one of his parables. He told of some "seed" that feel on good soil, where it produced a crop up to 100 times what had been sown (see Matt. 13:8). God doesn't reward us with just what we deserve or even just enough. He always provides more.
At the end of a sermon on giving, I once promised to give people their money back in 90 days if they found that God didn't bless their tithing. One older man stood up and said, "Pastor, I discovered the joy of giving when I was 25 years old--and you can't out-give God!" He then offered a refund to anyone who was unsatisfied after tithing for 180 days! During my seven years of ministry at that church, no one ever claimed the refund.
Heaven hasn't been downsized. God's resources aren't subject to budget cuts. So when you're on the expecting side of a heavenly investment, you can look for a lavish reward. Jesus said, "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13).
When you invest with the Savior, your resources are secure. The Law of the Harvest is still in effect, and there will be a reward.
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