The Farmers’ Joy

The Farmers’ Joy

John 7:37-39; Joel 2:19  

Where I grew up the prayer of every farmer was ‘let it rain’. The coming of rain brought joy. When rain came, not only farmers became alive. Trees and plants turned green, frogs croaked, birds sang and insects chirped and buzzed. Children rejoiced as they played outdoors at the start of rain season and encouragingly sang ‘Go ahead fall so we can have food’.  Rain also came with fears of flooded rivers that threatened a small local bridge, lightening dangers and snakes that were forced out of their hiding crevices and holes by rainwater.  Rainfall also meant hard work. Mornings would start much earlier on the fields.

Once I visited a friend and his family. I found them hosting their mother who lived in a rural area far from them.  It was lovely to spend some time talking with the mother. She told me how much she desired to stay a little longer but she had to go back. She had just received news that the early rains for the farming season had finally fallen. She therefore was so happy and planning to head back home to sow her crop.  Farmers are delighted when rain falls at the right time and in right amounts. Rainfall waters their crops, fills their dams and raises the water table. Crops are able to grow root and find nourishment from nutrients in the soil. The dams provide irrigation water during the dry spells when there is no rain.

Similarly, the most evident effect of the rain and reign of the Holy Spirit is joy. Joy ought to be the dominant disposition of a believer in Christ.  Jesus came that you may have joy to the full. When it rains,  farmers  takes advantage of rainfall in several ways.

1. Farmers know the opportunity rain brings. Farmers has knowledge of the potential in the  land and are confident of their farming capability. Without such knowledge and ability  the rain can come and will just go to waste. As a believer, you like wise need to take advantage of the opportunity of knowing God and who you are in God.  The Holy Spirit rains to enable you to harness the potential in being a child of God  with God’s nature.  You can take advantage of  this rain only to the extend you know God and your identity, rights and privileges in Him.   Reading and meditating on God’s word reveals the potential and enables you to be fruitful.  Through listening and obeying the word of God you can understand the soil, inputs, and methods you need.  What you can do is no longer limited to your  natural DNA but replaced by your new  DNA in Christ. Also, the ministry of the church like the  agricultural support services to a farmer provides the support you need.

2. Farmers step out in face of uncertainty.  If you look at the skies, you will not sow. Farmers are courageous enough to step out.  Their courage is inspired by what they know about previous behavior of nature and the potential return from trust in what they believe should happen if they cultivate the land. Farmers see what things can be not just what they are presently. They create the change they want rather than  waiting to react to change that occurs. As a believer the rain of the Holy Spirit will be wasted if you  lack faith.  Asking by itself is not enough. Some things you are asking for require that you take courage to walk into them instead. See it by revelation from God’s word before you see it in the natural. Be optimistic because the reality is that risk with God is not risk for he is able and faithful.  Its not the size of your faith but the size and dependability of your God that matters. Faith pleases God despite the outcome (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is evidenced by the actions one takes not the ‘faith feelings’ they have. Feelings and declarations often precede faith actions (1Samuel 17:45-47) but cannot substitute them.  Action has to be taken . The land has to be ready, the planting and nurturing needs to be done. God is dependable we have his promises and a record of his faithfulness in our lives and in the Bible.

3. Farmers build  teams.  Good farmers work well with people. To scale up in any venture one must have the wisdom to builds a team and network of supporting relationships. Every big project that has broad based impact and significance requires the organisation of many people. Big dreams require input of many people. You have to move from  subsistence  to corporate thinking. God’s blessings are net breaking and there is  always enough to share .  The rain can come but unless you can nurture supporting relationships and partnerships you will only accomplish a little.  Ask God for grace to build support networks.  You need a network providing diverse inputs.  People who think and act as you can limit you to what you already know. Difference is the beginning of synergy. When the rain comes you cannot do it alone.

4. Farmers think long term. Farmers constantly think of the end.  They think of the next seasons when  handling the soil, equipment, water, crops, and stakeholders.  It matters what the farmer leaves behind for the future.  Farming is not for people wanting a hit and run quick buck.  As the rain of the Holy Spirit falls, you need set in motion daily disciplines that bring about spiritual  growth to maturity and multiplication. Think beyond your location to  nations and  generations.  Have a clear vision of your preferred future.  My first television experience was  a black and white, monochrome set. The TV had a tall areal on the roof of the house. Often signal would be poor and someone would go up the roof to adjust the aerial for a clear picture.  You also need to do everything possible to find a clear picture of the future. That picture cannot be clearer than your picture of God hence the importance of knowing God. The clarity of the picture also indicates the strength of the faith you have for what you are trusting God for, since faith  the substance of things hoped(Hebrews 11:1).

 5. Farmers give something.   Farmers  are willing to part with something. Farming requires inputs and material to work with. The measure of sacrifice indicates the potential for yield. The rain of the Holy Spirit will be wasted if you are unwilling to give. Big thinkers and big dreamers distinguish themselves by being big givers.  You can talk and pray big thinks but what will happen is linked to the measure of your giving.  See giving as an investment not a loss.

6. Farmers focus on causes.  Farmers  focus on doing the right things that lead to the harvest they want.  Focus on creating the causes of fruit. Maintain a hunger and a thirst to enjoy sustained benefit. The rain of the Holy Spirit comes to the thirsty and is sustained by thirst. The first sign of life is appetite and the first serious sign of death is loss of appetite. Avoid just being desperate for effects/ manifestations but hunger and thirst first and foremost for  the person of the Holy Spirit. Build an intimate relationship with God.  Jesus said come and drink. Drinking is taking actions corresponding to your thirst. If you are already full, you will need to let go of something of the flesh to make room for the rain to sock in and stir rivers to erupt out of you. 

7. Farmers  are patient.  Farmers are motivated enough to patiently apply the necessary discipline of consistent hard and smart work.  What you still need when everything else is in place is motivation to start and keep at it.  What you expect may not all happen instantly or shortly. The season is certainly right. Its not too early its not too late.  It is the right time as promised in God’s word.  What you need when there is delay is patience.  “…that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,  saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.  And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise (Hebrews 6:12)”.