The Threshing Floor

Photo by Bgrace

“But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand His plan, he who gathers them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” Micah 4:12

Sometimes I feel like I’ve been exiled to Babylon. I’m an Israelite saying, "God promised Jerusalem would not fall, and yet here I am—taken to a foreign land, among foreign people, and now I’ve got a whole lot of questions for God."

Did I do something wrong?
Am I here because I got lost?
Will I ever get out of here and if I do, will I get to go home?
What if home isn’t like home anymore?

I’m starting to realize that most of my questions are about me. Its so easy to be wrapped up in our own little story that we forget we are a part of well...God’s story. Maybe, just maybe there is something going on here that is a whole lot bigger than me. And maybe there’s still more ink in the pen. See, God is alive and working even in Babylon. In fact, God is known for taking the most dire situations and not just making them OK, but bringing overwhelming blessing from them.

“Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hoofs of bronze and you will break to pieces many nations. You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord. Their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.” Micah 4:13

In early OT times, at harvest season, wheat was reaped by a sickle or pulled out by the roots and then bound in sheaves. These sheaves or heaps of grain were carted to the threshing floor—a circular spot of hard ground. There the oxen trampled out the grain. (Smith’s Bible Dictionary)
When God calls his Daughter to the threshing floor—He’s talking about blessing, not destruction. God calls her out not to destroy, but to bring in the harvest. He likens her to the ox who goes to the place where He’s gathered all the wheat for her. And he says—I’m gonna make you really powerful in the midst of all the decadence, confusion, and chaos. You are not exiled, you are sent! You are going to stomp on the sheaves until you separate the grain from the fodder. That grain will be the Lord’s harvest.
This is written to Israel, but I believe there are personal implications here. And you know what? I really struggle with this. Because sometimes I feel more like a Babylonian than an Israelite. Or more like fodder than grain.
Why would God use me with all my junk?
And what if I don’t do it just right? I mean, I’m a big heavy ox, and what if I crush some of the grain in the process?
Then I get frustrated because I think well, if God made me to be an ox how does He expect me to tiptoe around like a ballerina?

“He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in his paths.” Micah 4:2

God, have patience with me...and help me to have patience with myself. I am willing to be sent. Help me to be a good ox. And lead me to the threshing floor of your choosing.

Photo by Matt

 

Originally Posted on Deep Calls

Nov. 14, 2006

 

*I have been on an assignment for a year and a half.  It has been really tough at times and I have often wanted to quit.  I wondered if there would ever be any grain to show.  But this week the harvest came.  I mean BIG--once in a lifetime BIG.  But then again, maybe this is just the beginning.  I woke up this morning and the awe had not quite worn off.  I thought about trying to write about it all, but found it too overwhelming of a task for today.  Instead, I found this old post and thought it quite perfect.  God has brought me to the place of His bidding, the place of His blessing.  The song that keeps going through my head is How Great Thou Art. 

How little I believed you at times God, but today I can bear witness, How Great Thou Art. 

A couple weeks ago I took out my Bible when I was sitting alone on the living room floor and read Psalm 104.  The first two verses turned themselves into a song.  My second song.  The last line of the song is "You are very great."  And I kept singing it over and over again, feeling the reverance in it. 

Thank you Lord, for showing me what that looks like, for allowing me to experience a glimpse of Your greatness in my life.