~Winds of Adversity

There is a legend in which a community of people asked God to answer every prayer for one year. God agreed, and so in the coming year every time the people prayed for rain, it rained, and every time they prayed for the sun to shine, it shone. As the year progressed, and the seasons changed, the crops had never been taller or more beautiful. The wheat was thick and the corn stalks were tall and magnificent. How shocked they were, however, when at harvest-time the people discovered there was no corn on the stalks and no grains of wheat.    The people cried out to God and said, "You promised to answer every prayer", and God said "I did answer every prayer you prayed".

The people lamented, "Then why do we have no fruit in our crops?" God replied, "You prayed for rain and sunshine, but you did not pray for the strong winds to blow and without them there can be no pollenation, so therefore, you will have no fruit."    Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits! I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers." Song of Solomon 4:16-5:1.    The Beloved here represents Christ and the bride is the church. In this age of instant gratification, we want to know God without pain or sacrifice. We want to have it all here and to have God's kingdom too. We want the fruit of a godly life without self-denial. We welcome the south winds, but we run when the north winds blow. To be fruitful we must have both. And we must "hang tough" or "endure hardness" (2 Timothy 4:5) when the north winds of adversity blow in order for them to produce their intended results.   We may think this is a good story and go on our way, but are we willing to pray for strong north winds as well as south winds to blow on the gardens of our heart? We would like to have the fruit of the spirit, of a godly life, without too much adversity. These terms, according to Scripture, are contradictory, an oxymoron. We can't have it both ways.   The fragrance spoken of is what attracts others. Isn't that what we're after? So, "Come north wind, and come wind of the south" and blow upon my garden, that those around may smell the fragrance. Let my Beloved come and eat His fruit and let Him bring others, that they too may imbibe deeply to taste His goodness and come to the Bridegroom also. back to Harvest Home