There is Always a Reason

We were talking to my great nephew, Jason Devlin a few years ago, who was very young at the time, and is the son of a farmer. He was playing with his farming toys and had great aspirations of becoming a farmer like his dad and continues that vein to this day. Making conversation, my husband and I said, “Oh how wonderful. What a cute farming set. Look at those cool silos.” To which he replied indignantly, “They are granaries.”  Of course, we, being city folk, had no idea what the difference was between a silo and a granary, but he was going to remedy that. He proceeded to explain. “The granaries are where you store grain to feed the cattle and can be used daily. Whereas a silo, is used to store various kinds of products in bulk for a longer period, including grain. The product will begin to ferment as time goes on, and then it is known as silage. This is also used to feed cattle, but mostly dairy cows, because it is richer and helps them produce milk.” He of course, as you can see, is very smart for his age, especially in the things regarding farming because he is so enthusiastic about it. He rides with his dad on the big tractors as well as all the other equipment they have on the farm, and loves every minute of it, longing for the day that he can be a farmer as well.

Farming, as with any job, is not always easy, but if you have a passion for something it is always rewarding. Jason and his dad plant seeds in spring, on hundreds, even thousands of acres, so they can then reap the harvest. Harvest time usually rolls around in the fall. They will not reap a ‘mystery’ crop, and there is a reason for this. They know what will grow and what they will reap, because they know what they have planted. They will not reap soybeans if they have planted corn, and vice versa. There are also reasons why a farmer may not have a good crop, and weather is a huge contributor to this. It can play a significant role in the outcome whether good or bad. It can be a farmer’s best friend or worst enemy. Therefore, farmers are always watching the weather, reading the almanac for their area, and making wise decisions accordingly.

We should never really be surprised at things that happen in our lives. There is always a reason. I have been married to a wonderful man for 41 years and we have had our difficulties. We have, by the grace of the Lord through all of this, stayed together and not had to, or not chosen to separate or divorce. And it is through the lens of these years that I think to myself, why are people so fickle and act so surprised when things go wrong in their marriage, and they find themselves on the brink of divorce. The one person shows up one day and says they do not love them anymore, in fact they have not loved them for a long time now, they are bored, they have found someone else, or they just stayed for the kid’s sake, and on and on. Then the other one acts as if they are in complete shock, and disbelief and states they had no idea. They discuss things and try to make amends and reconcile, but often irreparable damage has already been done. If they cannot make amends, they will end up parting ways. I have seen people who have been married three and four times, with this same scenario and pattern repeating, yet they still act clueless as to why this is happening. There is always a reason. We must not go through life just doing things, just because. Fulfilment and change come when we search for the reason and understanding.

There are those scratching their heads right now wondering why they just lost their job for the third, fourth or fifth time this year. They have the skills, the education, and degrees to prove it, so why? They are not really seeking the reason, but they play the blame game and throw disparagement onto their coworkers or bosses, when it seems that the actual reason is within themselves. They are the ones with the bad job record. They are very skilled at getting a new job, being charismatic and likable, however, when it comes to keeping the job, they cannot. This is a time when one needs to seek the true reason if they want to see change.

Matthew 25:31-34 states,  “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” On that day, though some may try to act surprised, it will do them no good, because the time and chance for self-examination and change has ended. However, there is always a reason, and God does not keep secrets or hold back on us watching to see if we fail. The reasons are disclosed in the subsequent verses. “For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

The evil ones were trying to defend themselves and act naive, but to no avail. Those who are cast into the lake of fire will have eternity to contemplate the reasons why, however, if we search understanding now, we can circumvent this happening to us and our loved ones. Of course, the righteous ones also asked the reason they were allowed to enter the joy of the Lord. Yes, they were also fickle humans, and this showed a little insecurity by them questioning, but God knows our frailties, and lovingly tells them the ‘why’ even though they did not fully comprehend it all. The bottom line is because they sought understanding and change in their lives and were kind and compassionate to others while on the earth. They did not try to shirk their responsibility by saying, “Am I my brothers’ keeper?” as Cain did in the beginning of the creation. Psalm 126:5-6 tells us, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Paul reiterates this concept in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  In my 21^st century vernacular it would sound like this, “Do not be surprised that you have okra growing in your garden if that is what you planted. Sorry if you wanted corn instead. This is just how it works.”

In Nehemiah chapters 3-5 we read the story of Nehemiah desiring, planning, casting a vision to the people, then executing the plan of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. During the planning stage and the project, it is mentioned several times that they were laughed at and scorned for their efforts as well as conspired against to thwart the project. With all this, nothing deterred Nehemiah, and there was a reason. He had received definitive instructions from the Lord. There is nothing more assuring and confidence building than to know that you are in the will of God. Now you might say, that is easy, you have men collaborating with you and for you, to get the job done, we can handle enemies, those who are jealous or plain ole nay sayers, negative Nancys if you will. However, this was not the case. As the project went on the people began to complain and say they could not continue because their houses, lands, and finances had been taken from them to where they could not even buy food for their families. It was discovered that their own leaders were charging them so much taxation that they were left with nothing to live on. Nehemiah rebuked the rulers and accused them of trying to sell their own brothers and told them to restore everything they had taken from them, so that the work of God could continue. A prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah states in Zachariah 6:13, “And one shall say unto him, what are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” This was what Nehemiah faced also. Though opposition from within is so much more heartbreaking, than from without, we must keep forging ahead toward the goal that God has called us unto. If you read the story in its entirety, you will see that Nehemiah produced a master plan and got the job done.

What could be a probable reason these nobles and rulers would extract usury and taxation from their own people? How could this even be considered a feasible option? There is always a reason. We cannot decern the heart of man, as God can, but here are a few ideas. Greed, selfishness, power, and position. Trying to lord over others is a sad scenario, and if you do so, you will find yourself in a lonely place before long. Selfishness is a solitary sport, but selflessness is a team effort. It invites and includes everyone into your world to enjoy life with you. I have heard of people loaning funds to their own children and expecting them to pay it back with interest. Firstly, the reason why the child asked for a loan is because they were in need, and secondly, if they couldn’t afford the original purchase, how will they be able to pay it back with added fees. Why would they do this? Do these parents feel threatened? Do they feel like they are in a place of power or prestige over their children? This is not how Jesus would manage the situation. He said in Luke 11:11-13, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

On the other side of the coin, I had a wonderful dad who stated that if we ever needed anything we could always ask and he would do what he could for us, and he meant it. He would always tell us, “I will never ask anyone that I have loaned anything to, that being a tool or money or whatever, for it back. They know it is a loan. If I receive the money back, I will consider myself blessed, if I do not get it back, I will still consider myself blessed, because I will consider it as a gift to that person. The scripture tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive.” This sounds quite like how Jesus would have handled things. This was always an inspiration to me and a notable example of endeavoring to be Christ like. And why? The reason is simply so that we can hear him say “Well done my good and faithful servant” on that day. There is always a reason, let us seek to do things for the right reasons.

Whenever we would travel as a family when our daughters were much younger, I would always point out the obvious to them, they tell me now. I would say, “Oh, look at the blossoms, oh look at the beautiful trees, oh look at the ‘amber waves of grain’”. This would often lead to a four part harmony rendition of ‘America the Beautiful.’  The words of this song are describing what Katherine Lee Bates, the author, and young English teacher, saw and experienced on a trip to Pike’s Peak, Colorado in 1893. She saw the majestic hills and fields of grain as well as the beautiful rolling seas near her childhood home in Falmouth, Massachusetts. One reason that we can still appreciate what we have and see around us 130 years later is because there are still those who take pride in their country, their land, and possessions, and this is shared with all who pass by. The reason we enjoy freedom and still sing this poem, set to music by a church organist, Samuel A. Ward in 1910, is that there are still men and women fighting for that freedom daily. These elements of beauty and freedom should be what our lives look like as well. Those passing by or who we encounter, should be able to appreciate the sweet aroma of the presence of the Lord in us, who is the source of all that is good.

If we turn on the light switch when we enter a room and it does not begin to shine, there must be a reason. Either the bulb is blown, or not screwed in properly, or the electricity is off or not connected properly in some way, or a fuse has blown. The connection has been lost. Even though a light bulb can look perfectly normal on the outside, if you take it out of the socket and shake it a little, you can hear and see that the filament has been broken, rendering the bulb useless. Once that connection has been severed, there will be no light. We must keep our connection to God alive by spending time with him and communing with him, so that our light can shine before men. Often, those that do not have a personal relationship with God, will be the first one is to sense your broken or severed relationship with God. Why? Because you are the only bible they have been reading, and they can spot the difference, even though they have not been fully persuaded yet to take up their cross and follow Him.

If you have slacked off in your daily devotion and communication with the Lord, do not act surprised when things start to take a wrong turn in your life. We hear from the Lord and receive direction from him when we pray, aka communicate with him, therefore, if we are not talking, and more importantly, not listening to Him, we will be like a ship without a sail. We must not act coy or innocent and play fickle and silly mind games with God. He knows our frame and knows we are but dust, however, He created us in His image, which means we can reason, think, and understand. We used to tell our girls that they were highly intelligent, which they are, and though this is a blessing, yet this also means, you do not have the leeway to say, “I didn’t know” and act innocent.

Do not play games with your salvation and your eternity. Change the broken bulb, reconnect the electricity if you want light. Plant soybeans if you want soybeans or corn if you want to reap corn. Sow seeds of love and kindness if you want to be the benefactor of these. If you want to hear those words, “Enter into the joy of the Lord,” be the hands and feet of Christ to the world, showing compassion everywhere you go. David put it this way, in Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” If you read the full chapter, you can see that he is stopping and taking a moment to reconnect with God. Giving God the praise and glory He deserves, but then also acknowledging that he needs direction. He knew there was a reason for everything but could not decipher all the ins and outs of his situation at that time. He knew that though we are not always privy to all the inner workings and circumstances, God knows all things.

Any issue we may face in our lives, God is our source of strength and direction. As David said in essence, search my heart Lord, find out what the problem is and then let me know what it is and how to solve it. Let the Lord navigate you through every season in your life, because there is always a reason. We have heard it said, ‘April showers bring May flowers.’ The cause and effect or the rhyme and the reason if you will. Jesus said in John 12:24 in anticipation of his own death on the cross, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  I am so glad we are on this side of Calvary, and we now know the reason!