Corona Devo 402

(15) Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. (16) John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (17) He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” (18) John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.  ~Luke 3:15-18

He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. (Luke 3:17)

Not many of us are agricultural farmers, and so the only fork we use is to lift food into our mouths.  But the winnowing fork that Luke speaks of was used to separate the good grain from the (unusable) chaff (or husks).

I'm no farmer, but I have absolutely felt the "winnowing fork" of my Heavenly Father separating my junk/sin/pride from the good "grain" within me and within God's good plans for me.  It's a process, isn't it?  And it's neither quick nor easy, but the harvest cannot be produced without this process.  If You say, so, Lord.  

Farmers would (still do?) use the winnowing fork to toss wheat up in the air, and the chaff (husks) would blow away and the good grain would fall to the ground, and then be gathered up and stored.  But there has to be a jostling for the unusable to be separated from the usable.  

Oh, I hear You, Lord.  And I have felt Your jostling, Your separating, Your division of pure from impure within me.  You shake us up to produce the best in us for serving You.  Even though it is a process and it can be a painful one, Bring Your Winnowing Fork, Lord.      

He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” (18) John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.  ~Luke 3:15-18

For me this begins as a sort-of cute little parable, until suddenly it dives into the dark-ending of "never-ending fire.”   It's like the "Three Little Pigs" suddenly didn't all find safety in the sturdy brick house built by the responsible brother, and instead the Big Bad wolf gobbled them all up.  That is the abruptness (to me) of: "gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire" (Luke 3:17).

"Never-ending fire"?   Sounds abrupt.  Sounds harsh.  Sounds hellish.  

It also sounds true if you believe the Word of God: And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). 

Like all of us, I prefer the feel-good versions of God, and His love is deep and wide for us.  But His holiness is deeper and wider, and cannot be tampered with.  We are simply not worthy of Him, He is so much greater that I’m not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandals (Luke 3:16).   

We want the happily-ever-after, but to get there we need Jesus.  

Do you know Jesus today?  

Just introduce yourself and be honest about who you are and who you want to be instead with Him.  It could go something like this:

"Hi, God.  It's me.  If you tossed me up in the air today, most of me would blow away like chaff in the wind.  But I have some good harvest in me, because You planted it there.  Please forgive my sins and I put my life and my hope in Your hands.  I've tried, but I can't harvest my days, my emotions, and my life, but You can.  I give you the reins over my life, and I understand that means you will need to use a winnowing fork to separate my chaff from my harvestable grain.  I am willing because You are worthy, and life is better with You and when I am fulfilling the purposes You have for me.  I submit my Harvest to you.  Amen."

Is it that easy?  It's that easy.  But you we have to believe it and believe in Him.  Then, it is easy: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).  

For the first time ever, or freshly-for-today: let's introduce ourselves to Jesus.  His "winnowing fork" doesn't need to be a scary tool that we fear in death.  It can be a healthy, proactive and positive tool that He lovingly uses to plow the soil of our souls to separate the good grain in us from the (unusable) chaff.  It's neither quick nor easy, but the harvest cannot be produced without this process.

Today, if we are feeling jostled, separated, or a division: perhaps it is the winnowing fork of God. 

Lord, we are willing because You are worthy.  Sift the pure from the impure within us.  Life is better with You and we are most-fully-in-bloom when we are fulfilling the purposes You have for us.  Bring Your Winnowing Fork, Lord.  Amen.   

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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