Spiced cider, warm fire place, the smell of freshly baked bread from the oven are all smells I love during the Fall season. I have been thinking these last few days of why I love Fall so much. Besides all the yummy foods to eat and company to be had during the Fall season I have decided it is much more than all of that.
At the beginning of Fall, harvesting begins. The harvest marks the end of the growing season. Many times as Christians we do not look forward to our “growing season”. It hurts! Often we cannot see clearly and do not know what the Lord is teaching us during this time.
The book of Ruth was written during harvest season, and they celebrate the beginning of Harvest with a huge feast and celebration.
But before there is a feast the barley has to go through the threshing floor. To “thresh” the grain means to hit the wheat or barley plants until the grain falls out. The grain was then thrown into the air and the evening wind would blow away the chaff. The chaff was around the part of the plant that was the grain. The chaff would blow away and the grain would remain. This was the winnowing process (basically the process of eliminating the undesirable parts and the chaff was used to kindle their fire). So what you have left is the good, refined grain ready for people to enjoy.
God does the same thing to us. First we are planted somewhere to grow, we are watered, cared for, and allowed to flourish. Then like the plant we are set to dry out during a season, otherwise known as our desert period. Life comes at us hard and we are cut down from where we were growing. We are then thrown on the thrashing floor where the chaff and the grain are separated. The chaff represents anything in our life that is not pleasing to God, images we have formed, bad habits we have developed, etc.. Next is the winnowing process where only the good remain and the rest is “blown away” and used for fire. God got rid of all the undesirables in us. What we have left is what is good, what is refined and what is pleasing to God.
Once the process of harvesting is completed and the grain is refined there is a big celebration. In the bible, Boaz celebrated the Feast of Shavuot, one of the things celebrated was “first fruits”. This symbolized the very first grains of the Harvest and a promise of the rest of the harvest to come; the resurrection of all of God’s people.
This is why I like Fall so much. It represents a time of celebration, and time of surviving the growing, threshing, and winnowing period of my life. It is a time to give thanks for the blessings in my life. I don’t know about you but I sure feel like lately I have been living on the threshing floor, but sweet sister lift your head the time of refinement is near.
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I cannot believe I signed on this morning to see this post! How like our Lord! I have been working for WEEKS on a Sunday School lesson about ‘the threshing floor’. I think I’m finally ready to teach it this Sunday. Before finishing up, I decided to read a few blogs. Isn’t that the neatest thing? I’m studying in 2 Samuel and 1 Chr. about David purchasing the threshing floor. It was here he built and altar to the Lord and in 2Chr3:1 it says Solomon began building the Temple at the same place.
I have enjoyed this so much. Thanks for posting this. I feel like it was a divine appointment with the Lord!
I’m still in a “growing season”, but I know the time of celebration is near. I just need to continue to keep my eyes on Him and allow Him to change me to be more like him.
The process has been painful, but the rewards will be great! It will be worth persevering through the pain.
A new level of freedom and victory awaits!
A new level of intimacy with my Savior.
Praising God for bringing me through another fiery trial, yet again! He is FAITHFUL!
Maybe if I can think of the threshing as a really good massage, I could take it to much better…
I know that God is working on me and my heart. I feel the beating, but to honest, if I would let go of my selfishness and pride so much more quickly, it wouldn’t hurt as much nor take as long to go through the threshing. Sometimes, how long I’m on that floor is dependent solely on me and my willingness to let go of the parts that aren’t pleasing to God.
Excellent thoughts LW.
I’m glad you reposted this Laurel. It’s something that I need reminding of regularly. Oh that I would be submissive to the getting rid of the chaff the celebrating would probably come a whole lot sooner.
What a great post Laurel. Even though life can be hard, I find that I draw closer to the Lord during those times. And He shows me the chaff that I need to get rid of in my life. I’m thankful for His presence and His ways of dealing with us in each season of our life.
Oh girl - you don’t know how much I have agree with you. There was so much in my life (not really bad stuff - but still keeping me from the Lord) that needed to be cleaned away. Marvelous post, my sweet friend.
I have to tell you again - I love your new look here at Laurel Wreath’s Reflections. You did an awesome job!!!!
This is great…God is always present in every stage of growth. All the beatings we go through-bitter though they seem sometimes, are producing something nourishing and valuable.
You have given me a different lens through which to view autumn. Thanks for sharing!
Celeste
Celestes last blog post..Instruction in Righteousness
So glad I dropped by. What a powerful post. I love the paragraph about how God does the same thing for us. The past 7 years has been a season of deep refinement for me, so I can really appreciate your words. Praying sweet blessings upon you, Amy in OR
Amy @ Living a Blessed Lifes last blog post..He chose the nails