In the early pioneer days of Ontario, Canada, a farmer, named David Fife, received a small quantity of seed wheat from a friend in Glasgow. He planted this, but out of the whole plot one grain only grew and ripened, producing a handful of hard, red grains. Farmer Fife kept the seeds and planted them the next year. He kept on doing this from year to year until there was enough wheat to use himself and sell to his neighbors. In a few years “Red Fife” wheat was in constant demand.
Within twenty or thirty years from the time when the first kernel was sown, “Red Fife” was grown far and wide on the great plains of the West. Since then, from this seed, has come the finest wheat in the world. Picture miles upon miles of ripening wheat, elevators choked to overflowing with golden grain. In a single year there have been grown, in the Canadian West alone, hundreds of millions of bushels of “Marquis wheat”—a product of “Red Fife”!
When Farmer Fife planted the seed wheat nearly a hundred years ago, he little dreamed that from a single kernel there would spring the overflowing harvests that have helped to fill the granaries of the world!
What a wonderful illustration this is, of the words of the blessed Lord when He said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24).
He was the blessed “Corn of Wheat” who died that we might live, and when those myriad voices acclaim Him in the glory—voices out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation — this will be the theme, “Thou art worthy... for Thou wast slain, and has redeemed us to God by Thy blood.” Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9).
Our life on earth has been compared to the flower that blooms in the morning and at eventime is withered.
Days, weeks and months shall have an end—
Eternity has none.
‘Twill always have as long to spend
As if ‘twere but begun.
ML 05/21/1961