Doug Creamer: Second Harvest

Published 12:00 am Saturday, July 29, 2017

The heat has been unrelenting the last couple of weeks. I have been trying to hide in the air conditioning as much as possible. When I do venture out I try to go in the morning so I can get back before it gets too hot. Even the mornings have been oppressively hot the last couple of days.

Sunday afternoon there were some big storms all around us. We heard lots of thunder but got no rain. We need a good shower. I have been watering a bit more lately. Sunday evening I was pleasantly surprised when I went to take out the trash. The air was cool and dare I say, comfortable. I enjoyed sitting on the front porch for a while before going to bed.

I set my alarm a little early Monday because I decided to get up and work in the garden while the air was less oppressive. It was a beautiful morning. The clouds hung on to help keep the temperature down. I harvested butter beans, squash and some tomatoes. I think I know what’s for dinner. I also cleaned up some of the weeds. It felt good.

The clouds started to scatter and the sun came out. The temperature shot up. Before coming in I planted some corn in hopes of getting a second harvest. I am still waiting on the first corn, but don’t let the word out, or all the raccoons will have a picnic at my house.

It didn’t take me long to get the rows ready and the seeds planted. I am always looking for ways to double my harvest. I plan to dig my potatoes later in the week and I will replant that area with more green beans and butter beans. I am even considering going to Lowes and see if they have some tomatoes left. I would like to plant a few for a fresh fall harvest.

It won’t be long now until the garden centers will have fall crops started in cell packs. I will probably get some spinach, lettuce and broccoli and find places to squeeze them in. I picked up a pack of sunflower seeds; have to think of my bird friends, too. If there is any way to extend the harvest and get more from my garden, I’m game.

I guess the bottom line is that I want more, or as my pastor might say, an even greater harvest. I am always looking for ways to get more from my garden. I wonder how many of us have our spiritual eyes open to the harvest potential. I believe that no matter what community you live in, there is a harvest waiting to be picked. All of us have neighbors and people in our communities who need to hear the good news that God loves them.

Many people are hoping and believing that America will have a great revival. I have been wondering lately if we are missing some of the harvest that is available right now while we are waiting. Think about squash. You may only harvest one or two a day, but in a week you have about a dozen.

Maybe if each one of us focused on one or two within our sphere of influence, we might begin to see a mighty move of God begin. Jesus taught us that we would do even greater things than He did. I was thinking that if each person reading this reached out and shared their faith with two people who were lost and there was a 50% success rate, we would see more people born again than happened on Pentecost. Collectively we would be doing something that was even greater than Jesus did.

We all know people who are hungry, hurting or searching for answers. God can use you and me to offer comfort and words of encouragement to help in their hour of need. God is looking for willing vessels who will simply trust Him. God will give you what to say in that moment because He already knows the words.

I want to encourage you to look at people through God’s eyes. The lost and hurting need someone to point the way to Jesus — the Good Shepherd. God can use you and me to do even greater than we can imagine if we will take the steps of faith. The Spirit of God will do the work, He just needs willing vessels. Are you one of those who believes God is going to do something great in our lifetime? Let’s start by reaching out one person at a time and see if it might be the beginning of something even greater.