St Johns with St Barnabas

Harvest Points Us to Jesus

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As we notice our parched fields after a season of heatwaves and drought, the familiar signs of autumn appear to be emerging sooner than usual. Leaves have turned brown and fallen from trees prematurely, but as we move from August into September and the Autumn ahead, our thoughts turn once again to Harvest. We worry about the impact the weather has on the important work and livelihood of the farmers. Food growth and production is very much unseen by today’s society, yet it remains crucial and should be a focus for our prayers.

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Also, Harvest is about far more than pumpkins, apples, vegetables and beautifully decorated churches. It is an opportunity to look beyond the gifts and thank the Giver — and ultimately to see how those gifts point us towards Jesus Christ. In Genesis 1, as God creates the world, he repeatedly declares that what he has made is good. The earth produces plants, trees and fruit, and God gives them to humanity as a gift. Creation itself is an expression of God's generosity.

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That generosity continues. Jesus reminds us that our heavenly Father causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5 v 45). Perhaps we notice this most clearly at Harvest. A loaf of bread on a table can seem an ordinary thing. Yet behind that loaf are fields, rain, sunshine, soil, farmers, seeds, machinery, transport, shops — and ultimately the providence of God. Harvest invites us to pause and say something that our hurried lives can easily forget: “Thank you, Lord.”

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But the Bible takes us further than simply being thankful for food. Jesus teaches us that our deepest need is not ultimately physical but spiritual. We give thanks for the food on our tables, but we also give thanks for Christ, who gave himself for us. We celebrate God's provision in creation, but even more wonderfully, we celebrate God's provision of salvation. The greatest gift God has ever given is not a successful crop or a plentiful harvest, but his Son.

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Harvest also reminds us that we are not simply receivers of God's generosity. We are called to become generous ourselves. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9 v 10–11 that God supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, and that he also enriches us so that we can be generous. Harvest should make us ask: How am I using what God has given me? Am I grateful for what I have, or continually focused on what I lack? Am I willing to share with someone who has less? Harvest should help us re-orientate our lives towards generosity.

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There is also another harvest mentioned in the Bible which is especially important. Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 9 v 37–38, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Here the harvest is not crops but people who need to hear the good news of God's kingdom. So, Harvest Sunday is also a reminder of mission. The good news of Jesus is that he offers something the world cannot provide: forgiveness, reconciliation with God and the hope of eternal life. Perhaps this Harvest, then, we can practise three simple things.

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First, give thanks. Take time to recognise God's goodness in the ordinary blessings of life.

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Second, give generously. Let God's generosity towards us overflow into generosity towards others, especially those in need.

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Third, give Christ away.  Pray for opportunities to speak naturally and courageously about Jesus, the true Bread of Life.

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The harvest season reminds us that every good gift ultimately comes from God. And when we look carefully, those gifts point beyond themselves to the greatest gift of all. So, as we gather around our Harvest displays and sing our familiar songs, may our gratitude go deeper than the food we enjoy. May it rise to the God who provides, and may our eyes be fixed on Jesus Christ — the One through whom every blessing comes, the Bread of Life who satisfies our deepest hunger, and the Lord of the harvest who calls us to join him in bringing his good news to others. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures for ever.” — Psalm 107 v 1.