Your waiting time is almost over. The wait has become intense in recent days. You have reached up wanting to harvest the fruit of a promise but wisely held back knowing it was premature. You are so close. The self-control you exhibit in the coming days will be more important than ever before. Wait for the voice of God to call you forward to take hold of what He promised. Waiting for that perfect moment will release the full potential of what you harvest.

As a young boy, I picked fruit in the orchards of the Santa Clara Valley in what is today known as Silicon Valley. Mr. Dardanelli, the orchardist that hired me, would wait for the perfect moment to harvest the sweet apricots from the orchards in the foothills surrounding Los Gatos, California. To the untrained eye, an apricot can actually look ripe, but it is not yet ready. If you bite into an apricot too early you will taste a tart edge on your tongue instead of the full, sweet flavor of the mature fruit.

Some of you are ready to harvest the fruit of your faithfulness. It is almost time for the harvest, but not yet. There is a temptation to pick the fruit now, but you will not experience the fullness of the flavor God has planned.  You have been patiently faithful thus far, so you know you have the discipline to wait just a little longer. The goal of this harvest is to share its bounty with others and not toss it aside as a sour and immature harvest. A sweetness is coming that can only be produced in the waiting. Be patient. Trust God with the timing of your harvest.