August 19

Let thine eyes he on the field, that they do reap. - Ruth 2:9.

WE are here called upon to be observant of what is transpiring at this interesting season of the year, and to magnify God’s works which we behold in the valleys as they stand thick with corn, and the little hills which are rejoicing on every side. And the Christian has this special, advantage over other beholders: he can look upon the works of creation and say, “My father made them all.”

Many months have rolled over our heads since the joyful shout of “harvest home” imparted delight and gladness to the heart of the careful husbandman, to whom this interval has been one of active exertion and patient anxiety. He prepared the soil, into which he cast the precious seed, the rains and snows from heaven watered the earth and made it to bring forth and bud. The winter’s winds howled over the spiral blade. The tender blade became a stalk, the ear burst from its soft and silken covering, and then appeared the full corn in the ear; and now the husbandman has given directions to his men to put in the sickle, for the time for them to reap is come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe. This is no new occurrence; these scenes are witnessed as regularly as the seasons revolve, and men think but little of him who controls the elements, that gives strength to labour, and blesseth the springing thereof, so that there may be seed for the sower, and bread for all.

Let us therefore look upon the “fields that they do reap;” and observe, first, The power of God. When our Saviour brake the five loaves, and multiplied the particles, sufficiently to feed five thousand persons, the people, after they had eaten and were filled, wondered exceedingly. God, however, performs, if possible, a greater miracle before our eyes every successive season, in causing the earth annually to yield her increase; the difference is in the manner in which this power was exercised; this one was sudden and unexpected, the other is slower in its progress and constantly occurring, and therefore expected; and men wonder not at the power of God thus put forth, while the constancy of the event magnifies rather than diminishes the importance of the fact.

Observe, secondly, The faithfulness of God. There was one year of universal famine on the earth, and but one, and Noah was full of fear; but to pacify his fears God set his bow in the cloud as an assurance that it would be so no more, but that so “long as the world should continue in existence, winter and summer, seed-time and harvest should not cease.” And every season displays the truth and faithfulness of God.

Observe, thirdly, The goodness of God herein displayed. What provision, how suitable, how abundant, how gracious. On whose behalf is all this accomplished? Why, on behalf of those who are not worthy of the least of all God’s mercies; ungrateful, sinful worms, rebels, traitors, who try his patience and despise his long-suffering, who abuse his goodness and pervert his mercies; who are untractable under his teachings, incorrigible under his correction, ungrateful under his favours, and unimproved and unprofited under all the means provided for their welfare.

Observe, fourthly, The wisdom of God as displayed in the arrangement of the seasons; in the combined influences of earth, air, heat and cold, rains and snows, and the dew, which promote its growth; and in the connection between the providence of God and the exertions of the husbandman. It is the earth which produces the corn, but man must cultivate the soil; while it is God who produces the seed, man must sow it; and while it is God who ripens the corn, it is man who must reap it.

“O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”