good eye can determine the proper pattern and hew to the line proper ly.” I wondered, “Well, is it just a case of trying to please your neigh bors, as well as the folks who drive by the farm?” “Oh, no,” he hurried ly replied, “there’s far more to it than that. There’s a very practical purpose in straight furrows. First of all, if you haven’t followed the proper line for watering, you’ll discover too late some low spots in the field that will flood. Perhaps there will be dead furrows, where you’ve taken out too much soil. Here again the water problem will be critical. Again, if the furrows aren’t straight when you go to cultivate, taking out the weeds, it’ll be almost impossible to drive a tractor through the lines. It follows, too that when it comes time for har vesting the crops, some of the rows won’t be straight, and all of the other rows will be off. If one is off, they’re all off! That’s why that first furrow is absolutely important! It becomes essential that it’s very straight.” I asked my Denver farming friend if there had been any improvement in farming since he started forty years ago. He quickly explained, “Oh, of course. Many new strides have been taken in every area. For in stance, the tractor we use now can’t begin to be compared with the horses of the past. It’s much faster. Also, in the seeds we plant, they’ve now become cross-mixed and improved in every strain over many different ways. The fertilizer has been espe cially treated. Of course, we now have all the bug killers and things of that sort. Yes, indeed, farming has come a long way in these four dec ades.” I had one last question, “Tell me, has the method and the ability to plow a straight furrow changed at all over these two-score years?” “How do you mean?” he wanted to know. I suggested in explanation, “Well, when you started forty years ago, digging up your farm and put ting in these long furrows, I pre
sume you did it then by simply using your steady eye.” “That’s right. We put stakes in the ground at either end of the field. Then, using that as the frame of reference, we start heading out. I guess this is the only area of farming that hasn’t changed in 40 years. It’s still exactly the same way as we do it today! As a matter of fact, as far as I know, that’s the way it’s always been.” Doesn’t it seem strange that in this modem age of space development, cybernetics WORK, FOR THE DAY IS COMING Work, for the day is coming Day in the Word foretold. When, 'mid the scenes triumphant, Longed for by saints of old. He who on earth a stranger Traversed its paths of pain, Jesus, the Prince, the Saviour, Comes evermore to reign. Work, for the day is coming! Darkness will soon be gone. Then o'er the night of weeping Day without end shall dawn. What now we sow in sadness, Then we shall reap in joy; Hope shall be changed to gladness, Praise be our blessed employ. Work, for the Lord is coming! Children of light are we; From Jesus’ bright appearing Powers of darkness flee. Soon will the strife be ending. Soon all our toils below, Not to the dark we are tending, But to the day we go. and data processing, that man has still not devised a better electronic scientific method of cutting a straight furrow? It always depends upon the human eye. I mention all of this because when it comes to rightly dividing the Word of truth, our spiritual vision must always be fixed solidly upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He is truly the only frame of reference for life. Only in this way can your life cut straight furrows for God. We need to be 11
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