“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
GENESIS 8:22
This verse is the bedrock of our trust. It isn't just a weather forecast; it’s a guarantee of order. God essentially says: I am in control, and the cycles necessary for life and provision will continue. This promise allows us to plant with hope because we know, deep down, that the season of harvest will come. Even when life feels like a cold winter or a long, dry summer, we hold onto the assurance that the cycle of blessing and provision is still spinning, anchored by God's Word.
Now, let's fast-forward to the Israelites, where they're preparing to enter the Promised Land, a place overflowing with that promised abundance. Moses gives them clear instructions on how to respond to God's rich provision:
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground... and you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you and the Levite and the sojourner who is among you.”
Deuteronomy 26:1-3, 10-11
The instructions in Deuteronomy 26 show us three essential actions for handling the harvest:
Remember and Declare (vv. 5-9): The farmer bringing the firstfruits had to recite a historical declaration, a mini-history lesson detailing how God rescued them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to this abundant land. Their gift was a tangible acknowledgment: "This is not my doing; this is God's grace." We, too, must constantly recount and declare what God has done in our lives. Our blessings aren't a coincidence; they are a direct result of His covenant-keeping love.
Give Back the First (v. 2): They didn't offer a leftover; they offered the first of the fruit. This act of offering the best and the first is an act of faith. It says: "God, I trust that if I give You the best, You will ensure the rest is sufficient." It re-orders our priorities, placing God first in our finances, our time, and our resources.
Rejoice and Include (v. 11): The response to abundance is not hoarding but rejoicing—and not in isolation! They were commanded to share the joy and the abundance with the Levite (representing those who minister) and the sojourner (representing the marginalized and outsiders). True abundance is always meant to be shared. It flows through us, not just to us.
As you look around at the harvest in your own life—the relationships, the resources, the personal growth, or even the small daily blessings—take a moment to put these principles into practice. The promise of Genesis 8:22 assures us that the good work God started will come to fruition. The command in Deuteronomy 26 tells us how to live in response to that abundant provision.
Are you actively remembering the journey God has brought you on? Are you giving Him the first and the best? And are you sharing the overflow with genuine joy? Let's trust the promise of the cycles and practice the posture of gratitude and generosity. The harvest is here, and it's time to rejoice and share!
What "firstfruit" can you offer to God this week, be it time, a talent, or a resource, as an act of faith and thanks for the abundance He has already provided?
Happy Harvest, Reader!
