“The harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not saved.” [Jeremiah 8:20 N.R.S.V.]

I confess I do not like Autumn! I will admit the colors of the leaves are beautiful, the days are often bright and crisp, and the sky clearer than any other time of the year. Still I know that when Autumn comes, Winter cannot be far behind! As the days get shorter and shorter, daylight becomes less and less, and I get more and more depressed. Aches and pains that are not noticeable in warmer times cry out for attention and remedy when the weather gets cold. Spiritually I find myself wanting to go into hibernation until Spring comes as if God is only with us in warm weather.

 
This seems to be what the prophet Jeremiah was saying in the verse quoted above. Spring and Summer were the times when armies went forth to battle. When the harvest was past, the time for fighting was ended. The armies of Babylon had lain seize to Jerusalem. The leaders of Judah, both the priests and the king’s advisors, believed that God would fight on their side. They remembered when the Assyrian army threatened Jerusalem after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 721 B.C. Just when it seemed that the city would be defeated, the Assyrians withdrew. The city was saved. They believed that God had saved them.

 
So when faced with this threat from Babylon they simply waited for God to save them once again. Great hopes were there when Spring came. Surely during the season of battles God would defeat their enemy and drive that army away from Jerusalem. It did not happen! Now the time of fighting was over. The harvest is past and Summer ended and they were not saved. They must have faced Autumn and the coming of Winter with the same depression I do! And we both are wrong!

 
For you see God is not just with us during the Spring and Summer, rather God is with us all the time. Anytime is the time for salvation! So if you have never accepted God’s love for yourself, if you have never publicly professed your faith, if you are not saved, you do not have to wait! Often we think that salvation can only come during a Confirmation Class or time of Revival; but anytime is the time for salvation. Why don’t you invite Jesus into your heart today?

Also, please take the time to remember that God is still with us during Autumn and Winter as well as in the Spring and Summer.

Richard

“Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” [Joshua 24:15]

There was going to be a change in leadership. Joshua who had faithfully and successfully led the Children of Israel into the Promised Land would soon be gone. Also going away with him was the people’s link back to Moses who had led them out of Egypt and also given them the law. So this was an important change indeed. Joshua gathered the people together for a farewell address. After he reminded them of all that God had done for them, Joshua asked them to choose who they would serve. Two of the options Joshua mentioned are still valid today as we struggle to choose who, or what, we will serve.

The first choice was to serve the gods your ancestors served. How many times do we elevate traditions in the highest position and worship them more than we worship God? Some of the most discouraging words a pastor ever hears are: “Preacher, we’ve never done that here,” or “Preacher, we’ve always done it this way.” One of the best definitions for insanity is keeping on doing what you have always done and expecting a different outcome.

Now traditions are not all bad. In fact, some are really good: they become sinful when we serve them rather than serving the Lord. I once served a church in which the piano lamp was broken. My pianist had to “fix” it each time before it could be used. However to even talk about replacing it was considered blaspheme because someone had given it as a memorial gift for an ancestor. Often we choose to serve the “gods” of tradition and worship the past.
The second choice was to serve the “gods” of the people around them. In Joshua’s time that may well have seemed to be the best choice. Serving the gods of the Amorites would allow the Israelites to blend in and become a part of that society. Now while the reasons may be different today the temptation to blend in and be just like everyone around us is still very strong.

Surveys tell us that peer pressure may be the most defining thing in our youth’s lives. Also most of us, regardless of age, want to be accepted and to fit in with those around us. This may be on the job, in school, or just in the community at large. Far too often we compromise our Christian beliefs and find ourselves serving the “gods” of those around us.

However, Joshua also presents a third choice, serving the LORD. In one of the best affirmations of faith in all scripture Joshua said: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Oh how I hope and pray that we all can make that same affirmation of our faith!

Richard