Follow The Farmer

Follow the Farmer

10/26/11

When I was a young kid I remember travelling to Colorado to my grand-parents house.  They lived in the four corners area of the state, in which the majority of the area is comprised of old Indian ruins and farm land.  We did not get to go out very often due to the distance between our households, but it was always a fun time when the opportunity came along.  I would often sit and listen to my mother tell stories of life on the farm when she was young and how much work that everyone did each day just to survive.  These stories along with the ones I made up in my head gave me a desire to participate in the harvest.  Being able to go out on the tractor with Yanyad was always a highlight for me, and little did I know that even while I was just a boy that God would use this experience in my life for a future purpose.

Even though I did not express this desire much and the fact that I lived in the city, my heart and mind would often think about how it would be to be a farmer.  On some of our trips I would go out with Yanyad for a while and ride along in the tractor or combine and get a first-hand look at the harvesting process.  I never got the opportunity to go out with him while bean harvest was occurring but the wheat harvest was a sight to see.  Each time I would go out I would look over the vast fields and ask him over and over, how much are we going to get done today?  Yanyad would always look at me and answer "as much as we can" and then return to the driving of the combine.  At the time it really did not matter to me how the process worked or of the technicalities of the machines all I cared to see was the end product; to see the wheat coming out of the storage bin in the back of the combine to the waiting truck.  I also knew that it would be a long day before we left the field and return for supper.

Looking back now at that process, I realize that Yanyad knew exactly how much territory was going to be covered in that day.  All of the preparations had been taken care of and every little detail, even the weather had been thought out.  He knew exactly where to park that truck so that it would be in the most convenient place to empty the wheat and then start back up once again with minimal time lost.  He even carried certain tools just in case something went wrong with the truck or the combine, the farmer knew his land, he knew his objectives, and he executed them perfectly.

I also remember that on some visits it was not harvest season but Yanyad would always check the fields on a daily basis.  I remember that I would walk in the midst of the wheat, which was about as tall as I was, and just looking at the yellow and brown colors that changed as the wind moved through the field.  I also remember walking through the bean fields that were filled with green plants.  It was funny, that in both of these fields while I was playing and running around, Yanyad was actually taking a survey and calculating in his head for the prime opportunity to begin the harvest.

At the time I did not realize how beautiful the variations of the fields were, with the different colors that each field had and that when you looked at them from a different angle, the entire field colors changed.  Even the different colors told him something about the progress of each type of plant which allowed him to further gain knowledge of the plants.  The rolling of the hills would produce a vivid color that he would understand how the growth process was coming along, it also told him if there were problems with the crops.  His eyes could watch over acres of land at a time and all current knowledge of the crops was gathered in an instant.

The farmer knows what he has planted and he knows just how much cultivation is needed to yield the full potential of the plant.  He also understands that even though the soil or foundation that the plant is sowed into may not be the best, an expected result from that seed is expected.  He does all he can to provide for the crop so that it will thrive even in times of distress.  He will do everything in his power to protect the crop when danger approaches.  The farmer has so much at stake in the soil, seeds, and plants that he has no option but to protect all aspects with his life. 

The unexpected situations that may appear the farmer must be ready as well.  Storms or destructive predators might appear and the farmer must act with authority to protect his crops.

The farmer has all bases covered before planting, during planting and while the plant is growing and even right up until the decision is made for harvest to begin.  The farmer is in complete control of his crops at all times.  It is not because he has to protect the plants it is because he wants to protect his investment and so that the plants may mature to their fullest and produce the best rewards to others.  Decisions that a farmer has to make sometimes, might not be popular and not understood, but he knows what is best for his land and he must do what is necessary.

Each farmer has a certain pride of his finished product when it is harvested.  The few times that I had the privilege of riding in that truck to take the wheat to the grain silo, Yanyad was proud of his harvest.  Yes, he always thought it could be better but he always accepted the finished product as his own.

Kingdom you say?  Well, the farmer always knows and understands the condition of his crops at all times, even when it is two o’clock in the morning and he is not physically surveying the land.  He understands that both the light and the darkness are needed for the plants to grow properly and that both growing conditions produce strong and viable plants that will bring forth ripe fruit.  God is the farmer and he knows each stage of the plant from the seed till the harvested crop.  It is our ears that are supposed to be listening to His voice so that we know when to harvest the plants. 

Remember that God has planted us in a certain field for a specific reason.  We do represent His craftsmanship even though we look similar when we stand in crowds or places where many people are located, but each one of us is an individual as they come; even down to the hairs on our heads.  Only God knows when to give us protection, give us instruction or to leave us alone to learn a lesson.  In all of these conditions God is in control of our lives and He never leaves us.  Just as Yanyad had to sleep for a bit or left the field for a chore, he never once forgot about his crop; and neither will God.  God continually thinks about us and even though it may seem that He is not near you can be certain that He is right there with us watching us grow.

Even though there are a vast number of us in the world, know that God has a specific plan for each one of us.  Our growth process may be long and sometimes painful but this process enables us to endure future trials and situations that will occur in our lives.  God loves us and wants us to listen to His instructions and then to follow Him.  When we do follow Him our lives will be fulfilled beyond belief and we can actually be a part of pushing the Kingdom of God forward.