“At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”- “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:30, 43
The following hymn, written in 1844 by Henry Alford, was based on Psalm 100:4 which says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
Verse one of this well-known hymn clearly encourages us to gives thanks to God, our Maker for the earthly harvest and for the countless blessings He provides. It is good and right for us to thank and praise the Lord every day.
The remaining verses are based on Jesus’ Parable of the Weeds found in Matthew 13 and shine a light on another harvest. We celebrate knowing that when this harvest comes, Jesus will tell the harvesters (angels) to gather the wheat (us, His children) and bring it (us) into His barn (heaven).
Hymn: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (listen the contemporary version)
1-Come, ye thankful people, come;
Raise the song of harvest home.
All be safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied.
Come to God’s own temple, come;
Raise the song of harvest home.
2-All the world is God’s own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear.
Lord of harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
3-For the Lord, our God, shall come
And shall take His harvest home,
From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away,
Give His angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast,
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore.
4-Even so, Lord, quickly come
To Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified,
In Thy garner to abide:
Come with all Thine angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home.
Pray: We give thanks to you, Lord our God for YOU are good and Your love for us endures forever! Amen.
Brother Endrit Journey 