God’s providential care

Deuteronomy 24:19 “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

It is always good when considering the blessings of harvest that we read and reread, Deuteronomy 24:19. This is known as Gleaning; the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest.  It is a practice described in the Hebrew Bible that became a legally enforced entitlement of the poor in a number of Christian kingdoms.

A modern day version of this has been called "dumpster diving", when done for food or culinary ingredients, is seen as a similar form of food recovery. Gleaning is also still used to provide nutritious harvested foods for those in need. It is modernly used due to a need for a national network to aid food recovery organisations. 

But notice, as always in biblical teaching, there is a caveat implicit in following God’s instruction, “so, that the Lord may bless you in all the work of your hands.” In Proverbs we read, “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.”

An older man approached a young stranger in the post office and  asked, "Sir, would you address this postcard and write a short note for  me? I have such a difficult time writing these days."

The younger  man gladly did so, and when he was finished, he asked the older  gentleman, "Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

The  older man looks at the card for a few moments and said, "Yes, at the end  could you add, 'Please excuse the sloppy handwriting'?"

Sometimes it is a question of receiving as well as giving help no matter what the quality of the gift.

Father, we thank You for the way You bless Your people.  You richly provide for our needs and supply us with hope that is not diminished by the circumstances of this world.  We want to share from our spiritual and material abundance so that we lay up treasure for ourselves in the eternal life that is promised to all believers.  Make us aware of opportunities to enrich others with the blessings we receive from You. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen. 

God’s providential care

Exodus 23:16 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the first fruits of the crops you sow in your field. “Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.”

Isn’t it interesting that in this reading the celebration of harvest thanksgiving is about the first fruits and not what we have left over. But have you thought, that in speaking of the first fruits, it implies that there is more to follow.

C.S. Lewis says, "When first things are put first, second things begin to increase". What does it mean to be first? First is preceding all others in time in order of importance. If you go out and run a race by yourself, you come in first, because there was nobody else running against you. So if you really are number one, there has to be a sequence of somebody behind you before you can make that declaration. First does not mean number one. It does not mean the only one. Nothing can be first unless there's something else to be first of.”

First fruits in the context of our verse is the offering of the first grain harvested in Israel. If you did not bring your first fruits to the house of the Lord, God instructed Israel that there would be no additional fruit for the harvest: therefore, whenever you as a farmer, in the time of Israel, did not have the blessings of God because you refused to bring the first fruits to the house of God, you were in trouble. 

In other words God is the Lord of all or he's not Lord at all. In a hymn Frank von Christierson (1900-1996), puts it this way

As saints of old their first-fruits brought 

of vine-yard, flock, and field

God, the giver of all good, 

the source of bounteous yield;

So we to - day

our first - fruits bring: 

the wealth of this good land,

of farm and market, 

shop and home, 

of mind and heart and hand.

Prayer

Father, how can we ever understand the miracle of your ways?

We see your creation and we know you are God.

Yet we saw your mighty kingdom formed with the humility of a servant.

Faith and acts of kindness grow into great good.

We will never comprehend how your kingdom comes,

but we recognise its fruit.

We see it in unexpected places: in sickness, in poverty, in conflict.

We see it the places we wouldn’t want to live.

Sometimes we see it in our own lives.

Your kingdom come, Lord – in us and in your world. Amen

God’s providential care

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I wonder how much that initial statement is true for each of us. “….we know that all that happens to us is working for our good…..”? But we need to read both halves of the verse, “…..if we love God and are fitting into his plans.

This is God calling us into cooperation with him. What an honour and privilege, Just consider the dignity and honour that we are  given and ask that we may act in a way that shows our appreciation of God-working-with-us.

Whilst God's purpose is not always evident to us. We can  pray for trust and patience and for the ability to persevere. 

Corrie Ten Boom recalls, “Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!'" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. 

I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'" Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances."

I sure that many of us would that we had the faith that Corrie had, but one thing is certain, we have God’s goodness. Craig Groeschel in his book, ‘The Christian Atheist: Believing in God Living As if He Doesn’t Exists writes, “If God has done what you think he should do, trust him. If God doesn't do what you think he should do, trust him. If you pray and believe God for a miracle and he does it, trust him. If your worst nightmare comes true, believe he is sovereign. Believe he is good.” 

May we  take time to think of how God has turned things to our good in the past, giving thanks for blessings, letting go of the plans that we  have for ourselves.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our strength when we are weak. Thank you for your promises that speak love and peace into our lives every day. Help me to trust your Word and claim it to be truth! Please help us to wait on Your perfectly timed plans, fully surrendering our lives to Your leading. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

God’s providential care

Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

I wonder how many harvest festival sermons you have heard using this text from Genesis 8. This verse is about our faithful God who is as good as his word and never fails. J. S. Baxter, in his work, “Explore The Book” puts it this way:-

He never fails the soul that trusts in Him;
Tho’ disappointments come and hope burns dim,
He never fails.

Tho’ trials surge like stormy seas around,
Tho’ testings fierce like ambushed foes abound,
Yet this my soul, with millions more has found,
He never fails; He never fails.

He never fails the soul that trusts in Him;
Tho’ angry skies with thunder-clouds grow grim,
He never fails.

Tho’ icy blasts life’s fairest flow’rs lay low,
Tho’ earthly springs of joy all cease to flow,
Yet still ‘tis true, with millions more I know,
He never fails; He never fails.

He never fails the soul that trusts in Him;
Tho’ sorrow’s cup should overflow the brim,
He never fails.

Tho’ oft the pilgrim way seems rough and long,
I yet shall stand amid yon white-robed throng,
And there I’ll sing, with millions more, this song—
He never fails; He never fails.

Lord, we trust you today because you are faithful, and we know your faithfulness never runs dry. We love you and we remember you, we remember all that you are, and we remember all that you have done for us today. Help me to rest in your faithfulness in Jesus name. Amen

God’s providential care

John 6:27 Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.' 

The crowd that gathered to see Jesus had mixed motives. Some hoped for a free meal, others were were curious. I wonder what our shapes our motives in respect of gathering for worship.

It is said that we know our true motivation when we see what it is that gravitate towards when we have time to spare.

Pastor Glen Davidson, tells of how he  felt God's call to the ministry while working as a successful businessman. He began taking Bible courses at night, and eventually obtained his Bible school degree. Prior to graduation, he informed his boss that he'd be leaving shortly to work as a pastor in a rural church. Neither the owner of the company or the boss believed it, and they neglected to obtain a replacement for Glen. Eventually Glen told the boss that he really was leaving and they needed to locate a replacement as soon as possible. The owner of the company still doubting Glen's sincerity, instructed Glen's boss, "Offer him a £500.00 raise, and if he takes it, fire him on the spot!" 

For Glen Davidson he had come to learn that, “Wrong motives produce an empty life and a ministry that is not sustainable. Pure motives sustain our passion for God and thus sustain our work for Him—even during the dry, discouraging, or seemingly fruitless seasons of ministry.”  ― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

Lord, there is the same mixture of motives in me; not always pure love, but so often selfishness, weariness, and the hope of relief from anxiety and guilt. You lead me gently so I come before you. O Lord. As the sun rises, may your hope rise up in me. As the birds sing, let your love flow out of me. As the light floods into this new day, may your joy shine through me. I come before you, O Lord And drink in this moment of peace, That I may carry something of your hope, love, and joy today in my heart. Amen.

God’s providential care

Deuteronomy 8:6-9 “So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills.”

What a wonderful place God is leading his people to; it's almost too good to be true. Yet from my experience, following indicates that it can be even more difficult than leading. Following requires humility, risk, attention, awareness and guts. It means serving someone else’s agenda and following her or his cues. Following requires that I let go of my own way and trail the leader. But everything in me resists trailing behind someone else, especially when I think I can make my own way or lead just as well. Following for any length of time tests both character and steadfastness.

Mind you, on a more humorous  aside; a choir was practicing for a concert when the director said, “Eight years ago I was directing another choir in this anthem, and they made the same mistakes you’re making.” A choir member called out, “Same director!”

Walter Knight told of an old Scottish woman who went from house to house across the countryside selling thread, buttons, and shoestrings. When she came to an unmarked crossroad, she would toss a stick into the air and go in the direction the stick pointed when it landed.

One day, however, she was seen tossing the stick up several times. “Why do you toss the stick more than once?” someone asked.

“Because,” replied the woman, “it keeps pointing to the left, and I want to take the road on the right.” She then dutifully kept throwing the stick into the air until it pointed the way she wanted to go.

Many people know the will of God but refuse to do it because it is not their will. I wonder, was this the Israelites problem and perhaps more to the point is it also our problem.

Dear God, please give me a humble heart to yield to your instructions at all times, so that I can prosper. Help me to obey you and let me be flexible for Holy Spirit's guidance. Let me follow when you lead, and let me be willing to receive your blessings whenever you are ready to hand them over. Amen

God’s providential care

Exodus 16:4 - Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

As part of our approach to our harvest festival I want us to consider the Providential Care that God affords us. The word 'Providence' is made up of two words: "Pro" means "Before" and "Video" means "to see", so the word 'Providence' simply means "to see before". When we talk about the providence of God; we mean that God 'sees before' and plans accordingly.

There’s so much going on here in Exodus chapter 16. We get a snapshot of a scene that will be repeated over and over and over again throughout the rest of the Bible, as a picture of God’s provision for His people on a daily basis. We arrive at a point where they are in need of food as they have now left Egypt.

The people of God are already forgetting the goodness of God. He’s just delivered them out of slavery. He just brought them through an entire body of water. The Red Sea, split the sea in half, led them through on dry ground. Like it wasn’t even wet ground, it was dry ground. He led them through, brought that water down on the Egyptians so they could not overtake them, and yet two chapters after this happened, one chapter after they praised God for that, they are complaining before God saying, “Would that we had died by the hand of Lord in the land of Egypt.”

I wonder, do we  picture ourselves in this scene;  our tendency to forget the goodness of God, our tendency to doubt His love for us, His leadership in our lives, our propensity to even complain before God, when He has promised to give us everything we need on a daily basis?  This is a promise God gives to His people over and over and over again in the Bible to all who trust in Him. 

God desires for His children to trust Him to provide for them on a day-by-day, moment-by-moment basis, and is this not what prayer is? 

The ads online, on TV, and everywhere we look shout:

 “Buy me! You deserve me! You’re only worthy with me!”

Some days we shout back: Enough!

And other days we let a theology and attitude of scarcity overtake us.

On those days we allow what we have 

to define us, control us, and restrict us.

God provides enough.

God created each of us as enough.

God creates a world of abundance.

But our certainty of scarcity,

our idolatry of the shiny,

and our fears of others

prevent us from gratitude, graciousness, and sharing.

We live in an abundant world.

Our creator makes it so.

Move our hearts, lessen our fears in this hour.

There is enough for all of us.

Praise be to the God of Abundant Love!

Praise to the God of Enough!