It’s February. It’s Spring! I know—you think I’m nuts! No, I’m not thinking of the southern hemisphere—it’s the equivalent of August and summer down there. No, I’m thinking major league baseball, when pitchers report to spring training in February, so it must be Spring, right?

Similar thoughts must have gone through the minds of the disciples when Jesus, fours months before the harvest, said, “It’s harvest time!” (See John 4.35.) But it’s all a matter of perspective and experience.

Jesus’ perspective on that day in Sychar at the well was that people had already planted the seed of the Gospel, the law of seed, time, and harvest had already been at work, and the day He stood there with His disciples was the day of harvest. Jesus’ experience was that the Holy Spirit had already worked in the heart of the woman at the well, had already prepared the hearts of the men of the city on their way out to meet Him, had sent Him to Sychar for the express purpose of glorifying God by reaping His harvest, so He expected God to harvest these men and women for the Kingdom—He expected the harvest. He knew it was harvest time, just like pitchers headed for Florida or Arizona in February know it’s Spring.

Our challenge today is this. Do we know that the Holy Spirit is at work in this world? Do we know that He has prepared hearts to receive His Gospel? Do we know that He has people who have faithfully broadcast the seed, that He has nurtured that seed, and granted life and faith to the ones who have heard? Do we know that it is harvest time for the Kingdom?

We can know it because we have His Word. Jesus said “My Father is always at his work,” (John 5.17), and, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd,” (John 10.16.) God is still at work bringing people to faith in Christ. And we know that the Gospel is His only means for doing so, (see Romans 1.16, and Romans 10.14-17.)

We also know that because we can know what God is doing. Jesus sought the will of His Father in prayer. We can know God’s will and His work through that same means. We can seek to know God’s harvest by getting on our knees and asking Him. Jesus said, (in the Old King James version), “Lift up your eyes…” We need to lift our eyes and our thoughts toward Heaven, toward the God Who controls the harvest, and to see the world from His perspective and to match our experience to His timetable. New Hope Presbyterian Church - Pastor’s Pndering

I know, it’s really February in Wisconsin and it’s still cold. But for baseball it’s Spring. And I know, this world is cold and a tough place to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, but it’s harvest time! Think about that!