The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Pastor Lorne Moorhead, Northern Fellowship Chapel A few weeks ago my wife and I drove home to Flin Flon from Souris, MB. We were interested to see that most of the crops were harvested except for sunflower and corn fields. Harvest time had come for wheat, barley, oats and other grains. The farmers' markets across Manitoba are bursting with the best harvest of tomatoes, apples, plums, corn, potatoes, carrots and more. Harvest time is the climax of the year for farmers. It is exciting to see the results of their labours at last. There was excitement in the town of Bethlehem. Naomi had returned to her home town and she had her daughter-in-law with her. They arrived just at the beginning of barley harvest. This might not seem earth shattering, but as it turned out it had great significance in the life of the nation. God was working out His purposes and harvest time was one means He used to bring it to pass. Ruth decided she must go to the field where the harvest was going on, to glean the heads of barley that were left on the ground after the harvesters were finished. It just "happened" that she went into the field of a man by the name of Boaz. Boaz learned who she was and how she had shown loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi. He ordered his workers to leave grain on purpose for her. When Ruth brought home much more grain than was expected, Naomi suspected that Boaz was showing her special consideration. Indeed he was, this special favour of his turned out to be love for her. Eventually Boaz made arrangements for their marriage. God's plan was unfolding. The son born to Boaz and Ruth was the grandfather of David, king of Israel. Their descendent was Jesus, who was born of Mary in Bethlehem many centuries later. Who would have thought that the barley harvest would have played such an important role in the life of Israel and eventually the whole world? Jesus was born to be Saviour of people from every nation and ethnic group throughout the world. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Who knows what God will do at harvest time this year?
