Abundance in Hard Times

In the Northern Hemisphere, autumn often finds us taking stock of what we need to get through the coming winter. Is the snowblower in good working order and the shovels at the ready? Are the heavier blankets on the beds? Is there enough fuel to keep the house warm for months on end? As the seasons turn, our bodies remember these anniversaries and we often find ourselves eager to hibernate with many of our animal kin. These cycles of life have been at work for thousands of years, yet in the vulnerable months to come we will again learn to rely on the abundance of God that sustains us when we need it most.

God’s ongoing provision for the world is a marvelous and mysterious thing. Jesus reminds us that God is generous and loving and will care for us more than we know. We are deeply valued! The natural systems that sustain the wildlife in our world will also sustain us: we are part of God’s good creation, and there is an abundance of resources to be shared.

Christ’s table is one of the places where such abundance meets us as often as God gathers us. Bread and wine are shared, while grace and love and forgiveness are given in generous proportion. “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” the presiding minster often prompts us. “It is right to give our thanks and praise,” we respond. Again we are fed; again we are cared for. There is no scarcity here.

How might we celebrate such generosity in our lives beyond our worship spaces today? It’s easy to give abundantly to people we know and trust, yet we find it challenging to follow God’s generosity beyond the comfort of familiar relationships. May we be moved to share God’s goodness across the boundaries society erects, because God’s abundance knows no bounds. For that we give great thanks!

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