Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring from on high, appear;
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse,
of thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing
news, glad tidings of a birth:
“Go to him, your praises bringing;
Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus 1744
By: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Listen to this modern version of this Christmas carol as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this Advent season and this Christmas carol, do more than sing these words, invite Jesus to come and fill your approach to Christmas with a greater awareness of His presence. Welcome Him to come and reveal Himself to you again. Let’s tune our hearts.

Dayspring

How we long for the coming of the light in the midst of a long darkness! Can you think of a time when it seemed things could not get any darker? That is how things tend to feel just before the dawn breaks, just before the day springs.

When we see that first glimmer of light our hope is rekindled. But even then it is fragile. Did we just imagine it? Are our eyes deceiving us? Oh the joy to those who see the light as it breaks after a weary night.

Jesus is that light! The Dayspring from on high. He has appeared bringing joy.

Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring from on high, appear;

Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high Luke 1:78 ESV

We pick up here with the joy that must have filled Zechariah when he could finally speak again as he prophesied over John, his son who would herald the coming of Jesus, the Dayspring from on high. Hope springing forth from darkness. Where do you need that today?

Jesus comes and brings light into the darkness for all who are longing to see Him. As the day springs forth pushing back the night with the light of the rising sun, so Jesus does in our lives. Are you longing for Him to come and shatter that darkness for you? Invite Him to come.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about any darkness surrounding you. How are you hoping to overcome it? Maybe it would be best to simply wait for the light to come. Make this your simple prayer today “Dayspring, come bringing light to my darkness.” 

Rod of Jesse

If the night seemed hopeless before the dayspring, what about the stump? Does it seem likely there will be a fresh shoot? Hardly. But that is exactly what Jesus is.

The hope of a deliverer seemed to have all but slipped away from all but the most devout of the Jews. Yet there was this promise that a branch would still bear fruit. Isaiah said it. It must be true!

They were longing to hear the news of that Rod coming. They were not prepared for Him to come as a baby. Still it was that birth that we long to hear.

Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse,
of thy birth we long to hear!

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1 ESV

In Jesus this prophecy was fulfilled, the shoot or rod from the stump of Jesse which would bear fruit. We long for Him to come and bear fruit in us. Are you longing for His coming to you? What kind of fruit do you think Jesus has in mind for you in this season?

Isaiah prophesied of Jesus coming in this way, the One that would sprout from the stump of Jesse. God’s people waited a long time for that promise to be fulfilled, and we are waiting now for His return even as we hear of His birth again. Are you longing or have you grown weary?

RESONATE!

Take a few moments and consider for what you are waiting. Have you stopped waiting for something and taken matters into your own hands? Maybe you need to wait and long again. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Rod of Jesse, help me long to hear of Your birth.” 

God, thank You for the freedom that awaits us in Jesus. Help us to expect it more every day, anticipating the return of Jesus which will usher it in. Help us find rest even as we wait expectantly.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Hopeful Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 35.2 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring from on high, appear;
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse,
of thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing
news, glad tidings of a birth:
“Go to him, your praises bringing;
Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Jesus comes and brings light into the darkness for all who are longing to see Him. As the day springs forth pushing back the night with the light of the rising sun, so Jesus does in our lives. Are you longing for Him to come and shatter that darkness for you? Invite Him to come.

Dayspring, come bringing light to my darkness.

Isaiah prophesied of Jesus coming in this way, the One that would sprout from the stump of Jesse. God’s people waited a long time for that promise to be fulfilled, and we are waiting now for His return even as we hear of His birth again. Are you longing or have you grown weary?

Rod of Jesse, help me long to hear of Your birth.

Can you hear the echo of the angel song from that glorious night long ago? Over hills and across time it rings in the hearts of those who are listening intently for it. Those were the gladdest tidings ever. Ask God to give you ears to hear that song again in this season.

God, help me hear the angel song.

Their song is a call to worship, a call to go to Jesus with praises on your lips for the One who has come to be Lord. But first it is a call simply to go to Him. How will you respond to this call? How will you bring your praise this Advent/Christmas season?

Lord, help me respond to the call to worship.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post What Are You Longing For? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Joy to those who long to see thee, Dayspring from on high, appear; – https://pixabay.com/photos/sunrise-rising-sun-sun-heaven-4359203/
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, of thy birth we long to hear! – https://www.kfuo.org/2020/12/07/sharper-iron-advent-with-the-prophets-120720-the-shoot-from-the-stump-of-jesse/

Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus 1744
By: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Listen to this modern version of this Christmas carol as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we begin our journey through this Advent season and this Christmas carol, do more than sing these words, invite Jesus to come and fill your approach to Christmas with a greater awareness of His presence. Welcome Him to come and reveal Himself to you again. Let’s tune our hearts.

Waiting

We refer to Him as “long-expected” but are we really expecting Him? I do not mean in the sense that He said He would return so we expect He will keep His word. I mean it in the sense of are we waiting for Him, hoping He will return at any moment?

I am certain many will be surprised when Jesus actually breaks through the clouds for His second advent. How about you? Will Jesus find you expecting His coming?

Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 ESV

We are God’s people between His Advents. Once He came as a babe, next as a King. The first gives us expectation for the second. We long for His return because He has promised to set us free so we cry out to Him to come. When did you last plead with Him to come?

It has been a long time since His first Advent and generations of the faithful have expectantly waited for His second. Advent means coming or drawing near and that is exactly what we are longing for Jesus to do. He was born to set us free and He will return to complete that work.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about expectation. Are you really expecting Jesus, or are you simply living your life. If we are to live through Him then we better start expecting Him. Ask the Spirit to help you expect Him daily, then make this your simple prayer today “Jesus, we are waiting for You.” 

Resting

How can a baby give me rest? Or anything for that matter?

Well, this was no ordinary baby. He was the Son of God, and He grew up to be the Savior of the world. The One who would save us from our sins, and release us from our fears.

He came so we could find rest in Him. But we have to release them to Jesus, so we can find ourselves released from them. Will you release your fears and sins to Jesus?

From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 ESV

Fear and sin are some of the most anxiety producing elements in our lives. We must learn to give them over to Jesus. That is the only way we can find rest in Him. What fear or sin do you need to cast on Jesus today? He cares for you. Stop carrying those things today.

Though Jesus has set us free, our fears and sins still hold us in their grasp at times. We want to be completely released from their clutches that we might find rest in Christ. What is keeping you from entering that rest? Are their fears or sins whose grip seems unrelenting?

RESONATE!

Take a few moments and reflect on the rest Jesus offers. Released from fears and sins we will be able to rest as never before. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Spirit, show me if something is hindering my rest.” 

God, thank You for the freedom that awaits us in Jesus. Help us to expect it more every day, anticipating the return of Jesus which will usher it in. Help us find rest even as we wait expectantly.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Expectant Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 35.1 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

It has been a long time since His first Advent and generations of the faithful have expectantly waited for His second. Advent means coming or drawing near and that is exactly what we are longing for Jesus to do. He was born to set us free and He will return to complete that work.

Jesus, we are waiting for You.

Though Jesus has set us free, our fears and sins still hold us in their grasp at times. We want to be completely released from their clutches that we might find rest in Christ. What is keeping you from entering that rest? Are their fears or sins whose grip seems unrelenting?

Spirit, show me if something is hindering my rest.

Though many of them do not realize it, Jesus supports and sustains Israel, the people of God, and comforts them even after loss. At the same time He is also the hope of all the earth, not only the people of God but all people, but even more of them fail to recognize it.

Jesus, help me embrace Your strength, consolation and hope.

He is the Desire of every nation though they often pursue very different things thinking they will satisfy. The longing heart that finds Jesus finds joy and in Him the satisfaction that eludes every other pursuit. What are you desiring or longing for today? Jesus alone satisfies.

Lord, fill my longing heart with Your joy.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Wait For It…. appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Come Thou long-expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free – https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/nativity-scene-creche.html
From our fears and sins release us Let us find our rest in Thee – https://www1.cbn.com/devotions/jesus-in-the-manger

For the Lord our God shall come
And shall take His harvest home
From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away
Give His angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore

Come, Ye Thankful People Come 1844
By: Henry Alford (1810-1871)

Listen to this modern version of this seasonal hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this seasonal prepare yourself to come and praise. Prepare yourself but also be ready to issue the call to others to join you. What better time than this season of Thanksgiving? Let’s tune our hearts.

His Return

One day Jesus is going to return to the world as we know it, which is His harvest field. When He returns He will take His harvest, His people, to their eternal home with Him. Our great hope is that He is going to come back and take us to be with Him forever.

That hope changes everything. It changes how we view our lives. It changes how we view the lives of others. It changes how we view eternity.

For the Lord our God shall come
And shall take His harvest home

The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man…The harvest is the close of the age…Matthew 13:37, 39b ESV

Jesus will return and when He does He will take us home to be with Him forever. What a glorious day that will be when our hope in Him is finally, fully realized. Are you ready for that day? Are you allowing what Jesus has planted in you to reap a harvest?

Jesus has promised He will return and when He does will take all of the faithful to live with Him eternally. Are you waiting for His return like a day you want to come quickly? If there are reasons why you do not want it to happen yet identify and address them.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about the return of Jesus. Our hope rests in that grand event and what it will trigger, an eternity with God. Ask the Spirit to help you rest in that hope, then make this your simple prayer today “God, help me prepare for your return.” 

His Purging

Though we long for that day to come because of the hope it ushers in, not everyone will be so glad to see it. Those that are not a part of the harvest will experience a very different outcome. They will not be welcomed into the kingdom but escorted out of it.

And not only that. The place they will enter will be one of eternal torment. Rather than gathered together to enter God’s rest, they will be bundled up to suffer His wrath.

From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, Matthew 13:41 ESV

When he gathers us to our eternal home He will also be doing some other gathering which will make that place so wonderful. This verse says He will gather out of his kingdom “all causes of sin”. I don’t think I had seen that before. What a glorious promise! All offenses gone.

When He returns to His field He is going to take stock of the harvest. First He is going to remove all offenses. Those things will have no place in His kingdom. Do you have a place in His kingdom? That all depends on if you have made Him your king. Well, have you?

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and reflect on a place free of offenses. Sound like heaven to me, but not because it is free of offenses. It will be heaven because God is there and in His presence there will be no offenses. Prepare yourself for such a place by surrendering your heart to Jesus today. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, You are my King.” 

God, thank You for the promise of Your return and the housekeeping it will initiate. Help me prepare to be gathered up into your presence and not ushered away from it. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Prepared Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 34.3 Transcript

 Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

For the Lord our God shall come
And shall take His harvest home
From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away
Give His angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore

Jesus has promised He will return and when He does will take all of the faithful to live with Him eternally. Are you waiting for His return like a day you want to come quickly? If there are reasons why you do not want it to happen yet identify and address them.

God, help me prepare for your return.

When He returns to His field He is going to take stock of the harvest. First He is going to remove all offenses. Those things will have no place in His kingdom. Do you have a place in His kingdom. That all depends on if you have made Him your king. Well, have you?

Jesus, You are my king.

Next Jesus is going to have His angels throw all those offensive things into a fire that will burn them eternally without ever consuming them entirely. If you think that sounds horrible you are absolutely right. Is there anyone you need to introduce to your King to spare them this fate?

Spirit, help me introduce someone to Jesus.

Fruitful ears. Ears which produce fruit. He who has ears to hear…let him produce much fruit. If we are healthy we should be reproducing. So are you? Are you helping others to find a place in this kingdom of fruit producers? If so, you and they can look forward to eternity with God.

Lord, help me be fruitful.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Ready for the Purge of His Return? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
For the Lord our God shall come And shall take His harvest home – https://www.oregonlive.com/religion/2012/10/broadcasting_the_second_coming.html
From His field shall in that day All offenses purge away – https://pixabay.com/photos/fire-field-firefighting-wildfire-6706673/

All the world is God’s own field
Fruit unto His praise to yield
Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown
First the blade and then the ear
Then the full corn shall appear
Lord of harvest grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be

Come, Ye Thankful People Come 1844
By: Henry Alford (1810-1871)

Listen to this modern version of this seasonal hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we continue our journey through this seasonal prepare yourself to come and praise. Prepare yourself but also be ready to issue to eh call to others to join you. What better time than this season of Thanksgiving? Let’s tune our hearts.

Harvest Field

This stanza creates a powerful illustration of spiritual life using the imagery of the harvest. The first part of that illustration is the world which represents the field where the harvest grows. That field encompasses not just part of the world, but all of it.

Everything we see has the potential to be fertile soil where God accomplishes His Divine purposes. At times it may seem as though  God’s purposes are no where to be seen, but truthfully every square inch of the globe has the capacity to be a part of God’s ever growing harvest.

All the world is God’s own field
Fruit unto His praise to yield

And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord…Ezekiel 34:27a ESV

Part of how God reveals His glory to us is through the bounty of the earth. That fruit should prompt praise from us as much as it is praise itself. That bounty is at the same time an illustration of God’s work in our spiritual lives as He grows us up for the praise of His grace.

What an amazing thought that God is producing fruit that will bring Him praise across the entire world! You are an example of that and so are millions of others all across the globe. The Lord of the Harvest is busy cultivating His praise in the lives of many. Thank Him for being one of them.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about the world. It can be a very hard and at times hopeless place, but that is not the intent of our God. Ask the Spirit to help you see the potential all around you, then make this your simple prayer today “God, thank You for cultivating the fruit of praise in me.” 

Good and Bad

Having established the setting for our illustration the attention turns to our main characters. Every good story has a protagonist and an antagonist. This is a telling of the best story ever told so it has those key elements of course.

It is not uncommon for good and bad to co-exist, and this illustration is not exception. Actually that co-existence is a crucial element of the story itself and creates an incredible tension that will not be resolved the end. Good and evil, joy and sorrow building to an unmistakable climax at the end of the ages.

The world is the place where this wonderful drama takes place. God is growing a harvest for His glory. That harvest which He will eventually gather to Himself is the sons of the kingdom.

Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown

The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 13:38 ESV

But we are not the only things growing in this good field. There are bad things growing as well, the sons of the evil one and their deeds. We are grown to inherit the joy of the Lord, they the sorrow of His judgment. In His wisdom God allows both simultaneously in His harvest field.

But not all that is growing is good. God allows weeds to grow among the fruit. Why He allows bad things to grow even among the good is something that is difficult for us to understand. Ask God for the wisdom to tell the difference and the grace to grow toward joy.

RESONATE!

Take a few moments and reflect on the players in this great drama. Realizing what is happening around provides us a context for understanding why there can be so much tension in life. Good and evil are co-existing in this age and being aware of that can help us deal with it much better. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Spirit, give me wisdom and grace.” 

God, thank You for the illustration of the harvest. It teaches me lessons about spiritual life that help me to make sense of the tensions I feel at times. Help me to keep these truths ever before me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Illustrative Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 34.2 Transcript

 Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

All the world is God’s own field
Fruit unto His praise to yield
Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown
First the blade and then the ear
Then the full corn shall appear
Lord of harvest grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be

What an amazing thought that God is producing fruit that will bring Him praise across the entire world! You are an example of that and so are millions of others all across the globe. The Lord of the Harvest is busy cultivating His praise in the lives of many. Thank Him for being one of them.

God, thank You for cultivating the fruit of praise in me.

But not all that is growing is good. God allows weeds to grow among the fruit. Why He allows bad things to grow even among the good is something that is difficult for us to understand. Ask God for the wisdom to tell the difference and the grace to grow toward joy.

Spirit, give me wisdom and grace.

Growth is a gradual process. It happens little by little. Though there are likely some weeds around you, how are you growing to yield the mature fruit God has in mind for you? Ask Him to show you the incremental steps you can take to become that fruit.

Jesus, show me how to grow.

Wholesome and pure grain. That is what the Lord of the Harvest has in mind for each of us to become. Free of spot or blemish. What imperfections in your life do you need the Lord of the Harvest to heal so you can become that grain? Ask for His help in surrendering those?

Lord, help me surrender my imperfections.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Harvest: An Illustration of All Things Spiritual appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
All the world is God’s own field Fruit unto His praise to yield – https://pixabay.com/photos/earth-globe-planet-world-space-11015/
Wheat and tares together sown Unto joy or sorrow grown – https://pixabay.com/photos/wheat-close-up-weed-wheat-ear-1526696/

Come ye thankful people come
Raise the song of harvest-home
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin
God our Maker doth provide
For our wants to be supplied
Come to God’s own temple come
Raise the song of harvest-home

Come, Ye Thankful People Come 1844
By: Henry Alford (1810-1871)

Listen to this modern version of this seasonal hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is video content always available as part of an extensive archive of resources. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today and please consider becoming a Subscriber to support our mission of providing these tools to everyone with access to the internet!!

Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

As we begin our journey through this seasonal prepare yourself to come and praise. Prepare yourself but also be ready to issue to eh call to others to join you. What better time than this season of Thanksgiving? Let’s tune our hearts.

Harvest Home

Redeeming pagan festivals for the glory of God is a common theme in Christendom. Several of the most important holidays in the Christian year are close in proximity on the calendar to such celebrations. Harvest Home is a good example of this, abiet a little lesser known.

Harvest Home was the ancient English harvest feast where they would celebrate the harvest. Participants celebrated the last day of harvest in late September by singing, shouting, and decorating the village with boughs.  It was a cause for rejoicing.

Of course, we celebrate the Creator God who makes the harvest possible by providing all the sustenance we need. We do so by committing to come and raise a song to honor Him.

Come ye thankful people come
Raise the song of harvest-home

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! Psalm 100:4 ESV

To whom will you direct your thanks? I often find it sad when people realize they should be thankful but are simply not certain where or to whom to direct it. For us as the people of God that is easy. We direct our thanks to God Himself for all of His provision to us everyday, including today.

RESONATE!
Take a few moments and think about harvest time. We celebrate the Lord of the harvest and give Him thanks and praise for his provision through it. Ask the Spirit to help you do that, then make this your simple prayer today “Father, I raise my song to You.” 

Ingathering

Harvest time is an essential time in the cycle of all things. There is a time to plant and a time to reap. There is a time to labor and a time to rest.

Winter tends to be the time of year that is less active. We can not be outside as much and so our activities change. It is more of a time to rest, for our lives and for the land.

There are cycles and rhythms in our spiritual lives as well. Times when we plant and other times when we sow. Times when we are active and other times when we are dormant.

What season are you in?

All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin

You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. Exodus 34:22 ESV

As long as there have been seasons there have been times of harvest marking some of them. Like the people of old we should be willing to observe special times of God’s provision for us. This verse marks the ingathering of the harvest, and we acknowledge the same in our lives.

Seasons change. With winter coming, it was essential for the harvest to be brought in so it would not be ruined. What harvest is waiting for you to bring it in so that it can be preserved? What is the winter coming for you that could ruin your harvest if you do not prepare?

RESONATE!

Take a few moments and reflect on the ingathering. We must bring in the harvest God has provided for us, not leaving it out in the field to spoil. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, help me gather in my harvest.” 

God, thank You for the season and the way they mark the cycles of life. Help me to identify what I need to be gathering in during my harvest cycles.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Harvest Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

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Video 34.1 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Come ye thankful people come
Raise the song of harvest-home
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin
God our Maker doth provide
For our wants to be supplied
Come to God’s own temple come
Raise the song of harvest-home

Harvest Home was the ancient English harvest feast where they would celebrate the harvest. Of course, we celebrate the Creator God who makes the harvest possible by providing all the sustenance we need. We do so by committing to come and raise a song to honor Him.

Father, I raise my song to You.

Seasons change. With winter coming, it was essential for the harvest to be brought in so it would not be ruined. What harvest is waiting for you to bring it in so that it can be preserved? What is the winter coming for you that could ruin your harvest if you do not prepare?

Jesus, help me gather in my harvest.

God provides everything we need, but He does expect that we will do our part to bring the harvest in. There is some labor involved but even that is dependent on God’s provision for the energy and stamina to do it. He is our Maker and the Provider of everything we need. 

God, thank You for the energy to harvest.

We should come to God to offer Him the praise that is due His matchless name for the way He provides. We are the temple of God and can offer Him the song He deserves only as the Spirit enables us to do so. Ask the Spirit to help you come and offer your song of praise.

Spirit, help me raise my song of praise.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post What Will You Harvest? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Come ye thankful people come Raise the song of harvest-home – https://pixabay.com/photos/harvest-harvest-festival-1642438/
All is safely gathered in Ere the winter storms begin – https://pixabay.com/photos/tree-branch-winter-snowfall-2465450/