Heaven-Bound Reaping

We have been in a sermon series called: Present Suffering Future Glory. We spent three weeks discussing a theology of suffering and how God uses suffering to conform us more and more to Christ. The past three weeks we looked at a theology of heaven. Much of that time has been trying to keep a forward glace at the life to come with Christ forever. Heaven seems so distant a thought to some, while ever present in the mind of others.

Personally, heaven barely crept into my mind in my 20s. Youth has a way of veiling our eyes and hearts to the idea of eternity. Speed, strength, and vitality was mixed in equal doses with ambition, zeal, and a hope to overturn the world.

Into the 30s little changed in my mind and heart, even as our family grew from two to four. Then we stumbled into our 40s. For many, this is the halfway point to glory. Energies and future aspirations seem to shift from self to investment into others. Pace decreases as one is concerned by what little they can accomplish in three years and still surprised by how much God has done in ten.

The heart grows stronger for heaven as the Word shapes our future more than our will. This brings me to a verse I carry like a lunch pail:

Galatians 6:9–10

[9] And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. [10] So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Doing good becomes easier and more difficult. Easier in the sense that God does an incredible job of releasing your hands and heart of self over time. Harder because of the hurt that one has endured at the hands of those in the household of faith.

Yet the difficulty and ease highlight the encouragement from Paul. Seasons are coming and changing. They move without clarity and the reaping comes to harvest faster than the ripening of figs.

The Lord lays a sickle to the harvest and reaps what he has done through the good one has given to others through us. Knowing that the Lord stays ready with the sickle and multiplies our good into the lives of others, we wait for the season of reaping.

Like a veteran farmer our hearts and hands plant, water, and watch for every opportunity to do good in the lives of others. None more than those that belong to the faith. Those that at times hurt or cause hardship in our hearts, are worthy still of our very good with our face toward heaven.

Let me encourage the reader this week to do good, especially to those in the household of faith… For God is bringing about a harvest that will be stacked high in glory. There we will see heaven as a victory parade of God’s good working. Using our tiniest of effort in good, to bring about kingdom spoils.

Do not lose heart. Cast caution to the wind in doing good, that others would see your good works and give glory to God.

-Pastor John Richardson