I am privileged to lead the annual harvest prayer meeting with the Helderberg farmers, just this side of Somerset West. I’m quite familiar with the area since I’ve worked on a wine farm for a few years. I enjoy spending time with fellow farmers retelling all the old stories stored in a deep filing cabinet.

It’s gratifying to see the new generation doing their part on the farms and attending the prayer meeting to say thank you for the harvest in the cellars.

I start my message by referring to the recent Easter when we celebrated Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. This is what we believe, and we’re so grateful for that. Indeed, it’s this gratitude that drives us to do something.

And then I said to them that the success of the harvest prayer meeting would not be determined that evening. It will be determined by their gratitude towards God for the harvest turning into actions during the rest of the year.

You see, genuine gratitude has results. Real gratitude becomes actions. You can’t stop it. Gratitude opens a tap, and a stream of actions flows from it, and no person can close that tap.

Therefore, if there are no actions, if people do not make a difference in other people’s lives tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, then that so-called gratitude is surrounded by question marks. Then the gratitude is actually a wind that’s not even blowing.

And then we’re back at the start: we believe, and because we believe and realise what Jesus had done for us, we are overcome with gratitude and actions that make a difference flow from the tap.

Abraham believed like this and did what God asked out of gratitude even though the most terrible thing in his life was to sacrifice his beloved son. And ²³… that got Abraham named “God’s friend”.

This is a simple formula: believe > gratitude > actions = God’s friends. The farmers believe in God. They know many variables that they cannot control affect the harvest.

That’s why they are so grateful at the end of the harvest and why they want to say thank you, and rightly so. However, when the gratitude goes further than a prayer meeting, and they go out to make a difference, to help people in need, to listen and to support, they get a new title. Then they are called God’s friends.

I trust that we all will receive this title, become part of the God’s friend group and make a difference wherever we go. Not because we have to. Not because we’re forced to. Just because our tap is open out of gratitude.

Scripture
James 2:14-26

Reflection
How grateful are you?
Is your doing tap running?
Are you also known as God’s friend?

Prayer
Father, I’m very grateful for everything You do for me. Without You, I am nothing; I have nothing. I would love to be called Your friend. Help me to align my actions with what makes You happy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.