Word for Wednesday
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12:24
Drought that parched the American heartland left many of the farmers deeply disappointed and in debt. They had poured their money into seed, fertilizer, and much labour, in hopes of a prosperous crop. But the rains failed to materialize, and the crops failed to produce even enough to pay for the planting, let alone any for a profit. All those grains that were placed in the ground just lay there, failing to bring forth fruit. In contrast, the weather favoured the farmers further north on the Canadian prairies, and the seeds they put into the ground brought forth bountifully. At one point, the experts were predicting a bumper crop for the Canadians. What was the difference? The seeds the Canadians planted died and germinated. The American seed just lay in the dust without dying, and was a useless waste. It was like the lives of carnal Christians.
We know that our text is speaking of the Lord Jesus, in the bountiful harvest brought forth from His death. If He had not died, we would have no access to eternal life. One of the most precious truths of our Salvation is that it all is a result of Corn of Wheat Who fell into the ground and died for us. But I think we can also apply this principle to the lives of Christians. The Lord Jesus told us that whoever loses his life for His sake shall find it (Matthew 10:39). Given the shortness of our little journey through time, it should cause us to be thankful that we can actually accomplish something here that will endure beyond time and into eternity. And it will bring glory to our Lord.
Our earthly life is important to us. We need to eat, clothe ourselves, provide a home, and provide for the needs of our families. Moving beyond these needs into the field of wants is where we run into danger. If we learn to love money and material things, we lose our vision of what is important and of true value. The pursuit of these things can interfere with the pursuit of godliness, holiness, and obedience to the Word of God. Our vision for bigger and better things for ourselves can cloud our vision for lost souls and the needs of those around us. Our text brings us back to true priorities, the greatest profit lies not in living for ourselves, but in dying to self and living for the Lord.
The more grain we pour into our own bin here and now, the less we will pour into the bin that will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. – Jim MacIntosh