The Threshing Floor

An intimate place and time of intense focus where God separates wanted parts from the unwanted parts of self.

Roller-Coaster
For many of the men and women, the journey of pursuing and maintaining sexual purity and relational wholeness at times is very difficult.  I think it may be much more accurate to call it a roller-coaster ride instead of a “journey”.  Up one week … down the next.  Coasting along peacefully and quietly one moment … only to be found screaming (inwardly if not outwardly), shaking, and seemingly plummeting out of control the next.  WHAT IS GOING ON?

Embrace the Threshing
Perhaps we are being brought to the ‘threshing floor.’ (I know I have been there) Our mental, emotional and relational worlds seem to be shaking apart.  We have experienced some of the darkest nights of the soul and in ways that they never thought possible.  However, I prescribe, if we will allow ourselves to come to the place of intimate communion with God in the most difficult times, He promises and comes through.  He covers and carries us. We can then begin to embrace the threshing … for God’s purposes.

The threshing floors will be full of grain,

And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.

And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.

Joel 2:24

Places for Intimacy.  Places for Threshing.
Ruth had been directed by Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, to go to the threshing floor of Boaz and find him, her kinsman-redeemer.  Naomi further instructed her to lie at his feet and cover herself with his garment (Ruth 3).  Ruth is in a very intimate setting at, of all places, a threshing floor.  But why the threshing floor?  Why not a place that would be more appropriate for intimacy?

Suddenly, I saw the threshing floor as a place to which our Lord brings us, His children, for the process of maturation.  The threshing floor is a place of waiting, shaking, separation, and death.  We don’t think of it as a place of intimacy.  What a beautiful picture!  Our Lord knows that we could not withstand the pain of the process so He brings us to Himself and covers us.  Our Kinsman Redeemer then says, “And now, my daughter, do not fear.  I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.” (Ruth 3:11)

Do Not Touch
I was remembering another incident at yet another threshing floor.  When King David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant (bearing the Glory of God) back to the City of David, the oxen stumbled at (you guessed it) a threshing floor.  (1 Chronicles 13:9-10) God struck Uzzah because he put his hand out to steady the Ark, something that he was not supposed to do.  The oxen pulling the Ark stumbled and Uzzah thought he was doing a good thing by helping it to remain stable.  Sometimes we are just supposed to keep our hands off.  Stay out of God’s way.  Even we are SURE that we know the right thing to do God may be saying, “You may think you know what the right thing to do, but I KNOW I am doing the right thing. Do my will.”

We at times have been brought and will be brought to a threshing floor.  It is a needed place for God to do His work.  Be encouraged, it won’t last forever.

John (the baptizer) said (speaking of Jesus), “I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)  Ultimately, I believe if we stay in intimate communion with our Lord Jesus and allow Him to have His way; we WILL see healing, restoration, and transformation in each of our lives.

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