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Thoughts for the Autumn....
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Harvest. God in a basket?!
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Its surprising how much of God’s character is revealed to us through food. All our major understanding of God’s work has food somewhere attached to it.
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At the very beginning of the creation story we read that God placed humankind (Adam and Eve) in the garden where there was an abundance of fruit. They were given permission to eat of any of the fruit with the exception of the one tree. We read of the delight that existed as God walked in the cool of the evening with Adam and Eve.
This speaks to me of a creative God who loved His creation and who provided for it in abundance. We know that things went wrong because of mankind’s disobedience, but right at the beginning “God saw that it was good.”
Another important story which reveals more of God to us is that of Joseph. The evil plotting of his brothers saw Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt, but through God’s intervention the situation was turned round to the point that Joseph rose to the highest ranking official in the nation, and through the dreams of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine provision to save the crops meant both Egypt and its surrounding neighbours were saved from starvation. We see a God who breaks into our history to fulfil His purposes and provides for His people.
Later still in the Old Testament we have the Passover. The scene again is Egypt, but this time all the people of God are enslaved to the Egyptian overlords. Following the plagues, Moses is instructed to prepare the People of God to paint the doorposts and lintels with the blood of sacrificed lambs so the they would be protected from the judgement of God on the nation of Egypt. The meal they were to eat was in readiness for their release. Their escape from Egypt took them across the Red Sea and into the Negev desert where they wandered for 40 years, and during that whole time they never lacked for food. We read that the needs of every individual were fully met by the provision of God’s Manna.
Again we see a God who is able to overcome human obstacles to set His people free to ‘Worship Him on His Holy Mountain’.
There are many other events surrounded by a meal in scripture where we learn more of God, but perhaps the most significant is in the sharing of bread and wine. As Jesus offered bread to His disciples at the yearly festival of Passover, He offered it as a memorial of His body which would be given as the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He also offered wine as a memorial of His blood, again in memory of all that God has done to restore that broken relationship. The followers of Jesus are commanded to repeat this memorial act each time they share bread and wine, in remembrance of all that God has done for us.
Harvest reminds us of all God’s provision for us through the bounty of the land.
Perhaps the next time we stand in that long queue in the supermarket and we look deeply into the shopping basket with heavy hearts, we will be reminded of all that God has done for us, and be thankful.
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Found in a Grandmother’s notebook, dated 1909. A reflection of Victorian village life.
Some go to church just for a walk, some to stare, and laugh and talk.
Some go there to meet a friend, some their idle time to spend.
Some for general observation, some for private speculation.
Some to seek a friend or lover, some a courtship to discover.
Some go there to use their eyes, and newest fashions criticise.
Some to show their own smart dress, some their neighbours to assess.
Some to scan a robe or bonnet, some to price the trimmings on it.
Some to learn the latest news, that friends at home they may amuse.
Some go there to please the Squire, some his daughter to admire.
Some the Parson go to fawn, some to lounge and some to yawn.
Some to claim the parish doles, some for bread and some for coals.
Some because it’s thought genteel, some to flaunt their pious zeal.
Some go there just for the name, others go to sound their fame.
Some to show how sweet they sing, some how loud their voices ring.
Some the Preacher go to hear, his style and voice to praise or jeer.
Some forgiveness to implore, some their sins to vanish o’er.
Some to sit and doze and nod, but more to kneel and worship God.
How much has changed 100 years later?
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November is a time for remembering
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‘Remember remember the 5th of November, Gunpowder treason and plot’ the verse we sang as children may have felt appropriate to sing again in recent times, but it is relevant in that November is a time when we do remember.
On 1st November, All Saints Day, we remember all the Christian saints and martyrs, followed by All Souls Day on 2nd November - when we remember all those we ourselves have loved and lost. Then on 11th November we remember those who died in two world wars and conflicts since.
Many question the relevance of looking back and remembering, but holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel suggests that ‘without memory there is no culture. Without memory there would be no civilization, no society, no future’.
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The very ability to remember is in itself a gift from God. It can be fun to remember important times in our lives, perhaps our wedding day or the birth of a child in the family, a wonderful holiday or birthday celebration and what fun can be had sharing stories and going back over old photographs.
Those memories stay with us and how often do we find it easier to recall those times rather than what happened yesterday!
When we lose a loved one, we talk about the memories we shared that death cannot take away. As Christians we remember that Christ died for us each time we re-enact the last supper when we celebrate Holy Communion.
Remembering should stir within us a sense of gratitude and appreciation, even though inevitably there will be some sadness, not all our memories are good; some are bad and can make us weep but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to visit them sometimes.
This November let’s not just look back but also let’s reflect on how our memories help us to move forward doing our part in serving God and others.
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