The Threshing Floor

The Threshing Floor

The threshing floor—a term that sounds so harsh, but a place that brings about so much goodness.

I am not an expert on this subject or the process of how it is accomplished, but I have a basic understanding. In reading the small amount about it that I did I was astonished at the method of threshing wheat. Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of the grain (the crop) from the inedible part (the chaff). After the grain is harvested (the initial planting of the cereal grain) it must be taken to the threshing floor. Before the invention of threshing machines donkeys or oxen were used to separate the chaff from the crop by having them walk on the grain in small circles around the threshing floor. Once the grain is threshed it must be winnowed. Winnowing is the process of purifying the harvest. The mixture left on the threshing floor would simply be thrown into the air on a windy day and because the chaff is much lighter than the crop the crop would fall straight down while the chaff would be carried away with the wind. Once the grain has been completely threshed and winnowed you are left with only the crop, only the usable part of the grain.

Being here I have seen myself in new light. Blind spots have come out of the shadows and now shine so brightly in my face, a light that is polluted by my flesh. I could continue on the same way, trying to see through the flesh infected light, and live with a permanent squint. Or, I could go to the threshing floor.

 Here I am, arms up, ears open. The Lord is speaking. This last month I have felt Him ground out the parts of me that will not be useful to His kingdom. It’s funny how I felt so much pain, my heart was heavy laden and filled with unrest. Everything inside of me fought to hold tight to what Jesus didn’t want me to have. “No, Father, this is all I know.” “No Father, what will I do with this?” “No Father, this is how I’ve always been.” He was gracious and patient with me, and now I lay here on the threshing floor. Chaff surrounding me. I see it as chaff, not as a part of me. I see it and I hate tit. I praise my God that He took it away from me.

            Now I am taking slow deep breaths, welcoming the winnowing. I am glad to see my hindrances blow away in the wind. I am glad to be in the refining process, this process never-ending.

            Dear Christian, don’t be afraid of the threshing floor. Welcome it, and endure the pain, you will surely glow with the light of life in Jesus afterwards.

           

I came across a wonderful devotional by C.H. Spurgeon, I want to share a few sentences with you, but I encourage you to follow the link and read the whole passage!

That which was bred in the bone is hard to get out of the flesh. Threshing is used to loosen our hold of earthly things and break us away from evil. This needs a divine hand, and nothing but the grace of God can make the threshing effectual. Something is done by threshing when the soul ceases to be bound up with its sin, and sin is no longer pleasurable or satisfactory. Still, as the work of threshing is never done till the corn is separated altogether from the husk, so chastening and discipline have never accomplished their design till God's people give up every form of evil, and abhor all iniquity . . . Threshing becomes needful for the sake of our usefulness; for the wheat must come out of the husk to be of service. We can only honour God and bless men by being holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. O corn of the Lord's threshing-floor, thou must be beaten and bruised, or perish as a worthless heap! 

http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/thresh.htm

Filled Up

Last Wednesday was an exhausting day, spiritually, mentally, and physically. I needed to be filled up, but all I wanted to do was crawl under my covers and sleep away the exhaustion. Calvary Chapel Entebbe has a Wednesday night service and meal, it is called Acts 2:42, and our team attends every week. I usually love Wednesday nights and look forward to the service, but last Wednesday I wanted to be anywhere but at the church. However, the message we received was the exact message I needed to continue on in the tasks set before me. Funny how the days we would rather be anywhere but in church are the days the message is exactly what we need to be refueled. God knows the needs of His children and He is faithful to come to our aid!

I have a few large tasks set before me, all things I have never done before nor had any idea I would be doing. All things that are highly important, that I wanted to do a good job with but felt I would be useless in these areas. I had so much to do in just a few days and all I knew was that I am just a kid, just an ordinary kid that couldn’t make a difference in this certain area. I am going to give you a brief overview of the message on Wednesday night.

We are beginning a new study, 1 Samuel. We looked at characters and themes.

Theme 1: God uses ordinary people to accomplish His great purpose!

I am as ordinary as they come. As skill-less and simple as anyone. There is nothing special about me, nothing that is irreplaceable. I thank my God that He uses ordinary people and gives them extraordinary lives. King David was a shepherd, but because he let the Lord use him, he became a staple in the heavenly kingdom. The Lord used this lowly boy in a mighty way. This is my prayer—Lord, use me in a mighty way!

Theme 2: When God calls you to a task He fills you with the Holy Spirit, the ability to do the task, and brings people along side you to help you with the task.

Again, I thank my Lord for this. He has placed tasks in my hands that I can’t handle on my own, but my team has helped me through, teaching me as we go. I have learned so much from them, but also, the Holy Spirit has inspired my mind in ways I couldn’t even imagine. As I was working, I knew things that I have never learned and could do things that I don’t know how to do. I know the Lord is here to help me and guide my hands as I carry out His work for His kingdom!

Theme 3: God has a will that HE WILL accomplish…we can choose to be on the sidelines watching, or we can choose to be apart of that will!

Where do you fit in the will of God? I know where I want to be. I want to be in the centre. The Lord wants to use us. No matter what, His perfect plans will be filled, but if we offer complete obedience to Him, He will use us! We have the choice to work along side Jesus or just sit back and let Him work through others. I don’t know about you, but I want to be at the right hand of my heavenly father. I am here to be His hands and His feet.

I was encouraged through this message and let it ring through my ears, as the following couple of days were long and grueling. Jesus was always there to pick me up and strengthen me when I felt as though I was too yo