Preparing for winter

I passed these bales of hay on my way to church, all stacked up now that summer is mostly over. The hay ensures that there will be feed throughout the winter months when there is not much to be found for the animals elsewhere. Through the spring and summer farmers planted, watered, managed, and cared for these fields, and when the time was right they cut and baled it. Now when the lean times come, they will be ready.

In many ways, Christians who weekly make time for church are doing the same sort of thing for their spiritual life. It's important to attend church when you are having a hard time, but it's also important to go when things are good. The times of plenty help us produce the "food" we need to survive when things get hard and difficult. The work of sowing, watering, and caring for the "fields" of our souls during the times of plenty means we are ready for the times of lean. Every word of worship, study, and prayer from rejoicing is like a preparation for the times when hardship hits.

If we know that hard times will eventually come for all of us, then we should do what we can to be ready for those moments. Peter tells us to "not be surprised at the fiery trials among us," so we have every reason to prepare our hearts and minds during the times of plenty in order to be ready for the times of lean.

We can't avoid the hard things of the world, any more than the farmer can avoid the winter season. But we can make sure we are ready when it comes, by storing up God's word in our hearts and filling our minds and mouths with praise. Every moment of worship, study, prayer, and more is like storing up hay for the winter. We don't know what's going to lie ahead, but by God's grace we can start getting ready for it today. Turn your heart towards God today in order that it will stay focused on him no matter what happens tomorrow.