The Sheaves of The Harvest
Although the Church was full of people, when Paul Felding unfolded a piece of yellow legal pad paper, you could have heard a pin drop. It was the letter he had written his wife and kids, as he lay trapped in his car. He believed it was his last message he would be giving his family in this life. Paul wiped one more lingering tear off his cheek and began to read:
Dear Family,
There is a verse from the Bible that reads, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life…” (John 6:27). Everything I have lived for has been for myself. Everything I did was so short-lived and temporary.
From my estimation, I have just a little while to live and I wanted you to know that I have made my peace with God. In this car I have committed my life to Jesus Christ, all that I have left of it. I am ashamed of the months and years I would have loved now, to have lived with you. Christy, I would love to go back and give those evenings I had to (in my former opinion) just play one more gig and give them to you. To slowly eat a casual meal together and take a walk through the neighborhood. I wish I could go back and take each and every day and re-live it. I would love to look long and deeper into your eyes and tell you everyday how much you mean to me. I believed I was going to live much longer than I did and that I would always be able to make it up. I wish that you could have been married to me as a Christian. I could have loved you with something much better than I could have ever given you; I could have loved you with God’s love. And to my little boy, Trace and my little girl, Becky I am aware that although you are old enough to remember me, I have not given you very many memories to cherish. A blurred face passing by, a quick high five and out the door. How I long to pull these legs out of this car and go to you. Trace, I wish I could take you to your ball games and watch you play. Becky, how I would have enjoyed teaching you to ride a bike. If I could go back I would take you both to a place more important than a baseball diamond or skating rink; I would take you to Church with me. I am asking you now to go to church and listen to the Bible stories, especially about Jesus who loves you and died for you. According to the Bible, I’ll be in Heaven. Please know I’ll be there waiting for you. Live long and happy. And do something that I would go back and do, if I could, live each and every day for Jesus.
So good-bye for now.
All My Love,
Paul/Dad
The light overhead slowly dimmed as I wrote those last few words. Then all the light went out as I passed out from loss of blood. By the grace of God, I was found. With an instrument called the Jaws of Life, I was cut form the wreckage. As Felding held up the yellow piece of paper, he said, “And by the goodness of God, I am able to fulfill my dying wish!”
Paul tried to go on, but was overcome with emotion. Christy, Trace, and Becky joined him and together they walked off the podium into their seats.
The pastor slowly walked forward, stepped into the pulpit and said, “There some present with us today, that need to make the same decision Paul Felding made in the car that night! The band director received a new song, and so can you. The teacher learned life’s greatest lesson”. The choir began to sing Just As I am.
Pat Shaunessay squeezed his wife, Kathy’s hand and said, “That’s exactly what I need to do”. Kathy said, “I’m going with you”, their children followed them both to the front. Pat and his family, Ted and his family and countless others came forward that night. Even the foreman of the corporate farm and his family came to receive Christ along with the others. The service lasted until 11:00 p.m.
At the close of the evening, the pastor called Pat forward. He was the unspoken leader of the farming families and the preacher felt it fitting that he should give the closing remarks. Pat now stood where he had never stood before, behind a church pulpit. He spoke with boldness his wife and friends had never heard. “When we listened to the plan Mr. Felding had of reaping the harvest that saved our farms, little did we know then that what really needed saving was our souls. This is the harvest God was after! We were the fields He wanted to save. Like Mr. Felding, I too will be able to start over again. So, I’ll see you all the next time the doors of this church open.”
"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" (Psalm 126:5,6).
- Pastor Pope -