By David Phillips
The Land Never Stops
Much like everyone else in the business of selling products, John Deere has been featuring a radio ad lately that is obviously designed to appeal to the down-home, back-to-basics streak that most of us have running through us. “The land never stops”, says the deep, comforting voice. No doubt they are hoping you’ll buy a tractor, and I guess we can’t fault them for trying. At least they will probably cause some to be reminded that we owe a large debt of thanks to those who farm the land to grow and produce our food.
Their commercial puts me in mind of the passage in Genesis 8:22 where God said,
While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease.
God makes this promise just before He promises not to ever destroy the world again by water, as He had just done with the great flood. He then gave the rainbow as the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you…(9:12). John Deere’s point is that farming must go on, regardless of COVID-19, and they are right. My point is, it’s that way because of the promise of God.
There are a good number of things that God has allowed mankind to have control over. That fact is borne out in the many things that have been put on hold for the duration of the coronavirus run. Changed, modified, postponed, or cancelled, so many things have been altered from what we consider to be normal. But I am profoundly thankful for the things that man cannot change. Germination and growth. Seasons. Weather. Sunrises and full moons. The temperature of ice and the color of sunsets.Autumn leaves. The refreshing coolness of a breeze in the shade. The vitalizing warmth of sunshine.
All of these and more are part of what Peter refers to in 2 Peter 1:3-4, seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Where would we be without those precious and magnificent promises? Not only would we be cold, hungry and confused. We’d be lost.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!