All farmers appreciate the need to make sufficient forage each summer and how vital it is that what is harvested is of good quality. The mainstay of winter feeding systems in Northern Ireland is grass silage and the official estimate is that eight million tonnes are produced annually. The majority of the grass silage is ensiled in silage pits, but a proportion is made in the form of round bales.
Farmers, however, will know that the quality of the grass being baled is a key factor in the quality of the silage ultimately produced. It is also crucial that care is taken when transporting and stacking them to ensure the plastic wrapping is not damaged, so they are preserved in the best possible state.
Less haste…
As a teen, eager to get the work completed quickly, I remember my father stressing the need to not rush, but to take care so not to damage the bale’s wrapping. If there was any tear, then a roll of black tape and a sharp knife were at hand for ‘running repairs.’ The principle of retaining a perfect seal and removing air is crucial in preserving round bales.
Recently I was preaching on Jude and there is one verse near the end of this single chapter New Testament letter that speaks about believers being kept perfectly. Jude writes in verse 24, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy...”
Jude is speaking about those who have acknowledged their sin and invited Jesus to be their Saviour. He says that one day they will be presented blameless (or ‘without blemish’ or ‘faultless’ in some Bible translations) before God. We may ask how this is possible because we are not perfect. That is true and is affirmed by the Apostle Paul who writes, "There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10.)
What God sees
However, the key is that the person who has trusted in Jesus for their salvation is covered by the righteousness of Christ. Let me explain: when we look at the round bales that have been brought to the farm we no longer see the grass, we see the plastic wrapping. The Bible teaches that when a person relies on Jesus alone for salvation, their sins are forgiven by God and forgotten. As a result, when God looks upon this person, He sees only the righteousness of Christ.
Maybe you are very conscious of your failings, and that causes you to think God will reject you, when one day you stand before Him. If that is the case, you should grasp the wonderful truth that if we cry out to Him in repentance and faith, “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
If you are a believer, you can also rejoice that one day you will be presented perfect and unspoilt before the throne of God. While farmers aim to keep the silage bales perfect and unspoilt until they are needed, complete success is never guaranteed. In the spiritual realm, we are guaranteed that Jesus will present His followers perfect and unspoilt before God - because Jesus paid the penalty for their sin on the cross -opening up the gates of heaven to all who trust in Him.
Having grown up in rural Tyrone, after leaving school at the age of 16, Knox worked for over 20 years on the family dairy farm near Aughnacloy. Having felt the call of God to full-time ministry, he was ordained in 2005 serving as minister of two Presbyterian congregations for 14 years. In 2019 he was called to be minister of Aghadowey and Crossgar Presbyterian Churches in County Londonderry.
You can look at other blogs in this series here.
If you would like to talk to someone about this article, please email Rev Kenny Hanna at khanna@presbyterianireland.org or call him on 028 9753 1234.