Holden

by GRIERSON, G. | Category: N/a | Nov 2003

At the time of writing it is a beautiful summer's day. My early morning walk took me by a field of wheat, ripening in the warm sunshine, with the yellow heads bending under the weight of the grain. The field was very quiet, deserted in fact. But I knew that that field would shortly, perhaps in just a few days, be full of activity; workers with combine harvester, tractors and trailers bringing in the harvest, knowing that the days of opportunity for harvesting will be short.

My mind went back to another field and another time in another land. There, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, the harvest had started. No noisy machinery, but no doubt men wielding sickles or scythes and others gathering the stalks up into bundles to make sheaves. It was the barley harvest time, and amidst the sheaves was a stranger, bending patiently to pick up ears of corn that had fallen here and there. She was Ruth, the Moabitess, gleaning there with the permission and blessing of the lord of that harvest, Boaz, in whose sight she had found grace (Ruth 2:2).

Another hot summer's day, a thirsty day for harvesting, and a Man reaping in the fields. This time it's the Lord of the harvest, come down from heaven, who is the reaper. That day in Samaria, by Sychar's well (John 4), He is harvesting, gleaning a head of fallen corn, a sinful Samaritan woman, graciously drawing her into His storehouse, and gathering many more (John 4:41) of the lost souls of Samaria into bundles. In Samaria that day, the fields are 'already white for harvest' (John 4:35), and the harvest has begun. No need to wait four months!

Holden is an old English word meaning 'held fast'. In Luke 24, verse 16 (K.J.V. & R.V.) the eyes of the disciples walking to Emmaus were 'holden' as they walked with the Stranger who joined them on the road. Because their eyes were 'restrained' as the NKJV puts it, they did not recognize the Lord Jesus. Later, in the taking, breaking and blessing of the bread at the meal-table, Jesus was revealed to them: 'their eyes were opened and they knew Him' (v.31).

What is our vision power as this day of God's grace continues?

Is it possible that, in respect of the fields which the Lord Jesus described as 'white' or ready for harvesting, our eyes could be holden? Is it possible that we could be blind and careless in regard to the souls that are perishing at our side, 'having no hope and without God in the world' (Eph 2:12)?

Is it possible that we have no desire to see them reached with the gospel message that saves? The days of opportunity for harvesting may be short, and the fields, heavy with corn, go unreaped. Do we need to be praying for our eyes to be opened? This is the day of opportunity; no need to wait four more months! Praise God for every disciple who sees enough of the need to be praying earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send out labourers into His harvest fields, and praise God for those who have found grace in His eyes to be employed in His work in some way, great or small. He needs some to be bringing in the bundles and others to be engaged in the personal work of quietly gleaning. But all are working together so that one day, sowers and reapers, including gleaners, will rejoice together, in that day when He 'shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him' (Ps.126:6).

GRIERSON, G. | Nov 2003
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