"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "The One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Rev. 1:8
One Friday in October news reached a community that locusts were on the way and would devastate any crops still in the field. The community's farmers immediately went into "around the clock" mode. Beginning Friday afternoon they harvested all night Friday and all day Saturday to get the crops in before the locusts arrived. That is, everyone except one individual.
A Seventh-day Adventist farmer followed his normal Friday afternoon routine, putting away equipment and setting aside all chores that he could do another day. Anticipating his response, a few of his neighbors came over to plead with him. The labor of an entire year was at stake. Surely God wouldn't mind if the Adventist farmer "took care of business" just this one time?
"I will keep the Sabbath as usual," the man told his neighbors. "I trust God to deal with the locusts."
The neighbors tried once more to dissuade him, but his mind was made up, so they returned to their farms and their desperate effort to get the crops in before the locusts arrived. All night Friday and all day Saturday they labored, managing to save most of what they had grown.
Sunday morning dawned, and the Adventist farmer looked out the window at the remnants of what had once been a thriving crop. The locusts had come through during the night and eaten up everything. The neighbors returned, to comfort the farmer as much as to chide him. But they did ask him to explain God's failure to compensate him for his faithfulness.
"God does not always make a final settlement in October," the farmer replied.
In our text God is the Alpha and Omega (beginning and ending of the Greek alphabet). He is the one who is, was, and is to come (the one in control of the past, the present, and the future), and the Almighty. God is the Lord of history. No situation that we encounter could possibly take Him by surprise. Everything that happens to us is part of a larger plan. But how do we explain the farmer's misfortune?
God's judgment on wicked nations and systems fill the book of Revelation. But His true people can be found in those same nations and systems. They experience the "side effects" of divine judgment. Because of the mixed nature of human systems, God's faithful people should never expect perfect security in this life. Faithfulness does not always receive an immediate reward. The Lord does not always make a final settlement in October.
Lord, give me the confidence today to know that You are in control, even when things seems totally out of control. Give me patience to wait for Your justice.
One Friday in October news reached a community that locusts were on the way and would devastate any crops still in the field. The community's farmers immediately went into "around the clock" mode. Beginning Friday afternoon they harvested all night Friday and all day Saturday to get the crops in before the locusts arrived. That is, everyone except one individual.
A Seventh-day Adventist farmer followed his normal Friday afternoon routine, putting away equipment and setting aside all chores that he could do another day. Anticipating his response, a few of his neighbors came over to plead with him. The labor of an entire year was at stake. Surely God wouldn't mind if the Adventist farmer "took care of business" just this one time?
"I will keep the Sabbath as usual," the man told his neighbors. "I trust God to deal with the locusts."
The neighbors tried once more to dissuade him, but his mind was made up, so they returned to their farms and their desperate effort to get the crops in before the locusts arrived. All night Friday and all day Saturday they labored, managing to save most of what they had grown.
Sunday morning dawned, and the Adventist farmer looked out the window at the remnants of what had once been a thriving crop. The locusts had come through during the night and eaten up everything. The neighbors returned, to comfort the farmer as much as to chide him. But they did ask him to explain God's failure to compensate him for his faithfulness.
"God does not always make a final settlement in October," the farmer replied.
In our text God is the Alpha and Omega (beginning and ending of the Greek alphabet). He is the one who is, was, and is to come (the one in control of the past, the present, and the future), and the Almighty. God is the Lord of history. No situation that we encounter could possibly take Him by surprise. Everything that happens to us is part of a larger plan. But how do we explain the farmer's misfortune?
God's judgment on wicked nations and systems fill the book of Revelation. But His true people can be found in those same nations and systems. They experience the "side effects" of divine judgment. Because of the mixed nature of human systems, God's faithful people should never expect perfect security in this life. Faithfulness does not always receive an immediate reward. The Lord does not always make a final settlement in October.
Lord, give me the confidence today to know that You are in control, even when things seems totally out of control. Give me patience to wait for Your justice.
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