And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
Dear Friends in Christ,
In some school classrooms, children with a birthday bring in cupcakes or some other treat for the class. Then, it is the child with the birthday who hands them out to his or her classmates. Like the hobbits in Tolkein’s stories, their birthdays are occasions to give to others from what they have received. And you can see the joy on their faces as they share their treats with their peers.
This joy in the abundance of cupcakes can extend into other parts of our lives. Often, we are striving to make ends meet, or striving to meet goals, or trying to keep up with so many responsibilities. A culture often driven by advertising can leave us with the sense that we never have enough. What if we started with a sense of the abundance that God has given us? Especially in this country we are blessed beyond measure in comparison with so many in the world and certainly in comparison with human history. Wouldn’t that abundance feel so joyful that we could share it with others?
I find that the more of my life I place in God’s hands to direct, the more God provides. Ironically, this seems true for me in finances more than anything. That’s been true in this parish as vestries over the years have sought faithfulness first, and God has provided for us. This is also true with time and relationships. The more of our time that we give in loving attention to someone else, the more God multiplies the impact of that love. And then we have more to share. The more of our time we devote to prayer, the more we have to thank God for, and the more we desire to be closer to God. The more we respond to God’s calls to us, the more God equips us to serve him. The more we receive from God, the more we have to share. And like the birthday-child in the classroom, the more joy we all share together.
What parts of your life can you place more in God’s hands? What is God calling you to receive from his grace? What joy does God have in store for you as you share these gifts?
Yours in Christ,
-Tom