Fall is a time of harvest, and we are reminded of the abundance available in God’s world.
As I sat down to write this, I was struck by the abundance I experience in my own life. Today in Charlotte, North Carolina, we are receiving an abundance of rain, which replenishes growth and provides the moisture necessary for the continuation of life on Earth. Last night in children’s choir rehearsals, our children worked diligently on a song titled All Thy Gifts of Love by David Brunner (text at the conclusion). After spending time on tone production, note values, and learning the text, our children shared their insights on this anthem, including things they were thankful for. I’m constantly amazed at the thoughtfulness and depth with which children process their experiences in daily life. They notice and name many things I take for granted or miss simply because I’m busy with adult life. I’m grateful for the abundance of children in my life who remind me of what’s really important.
Sharing God’s abundance can deepen our connection with God through compassion, generosity, and love.
Earlier this week I was in my small office at church, consumed with my normal responsibilities – responding to emails, preparing for rehearsals, and getting ready for our weekly worship planning meetings. In the midst of all this, I was rummaging around my office for an elusive anthem when I turned around to discover a stranger in my doorway. “Devon” introduced himself and told me he was homeless – he had been sleeping on sidewalks for the last few nights and was in desperate need of help. My first response was one of concern for my own safety. I froze because I was the only person in the music office at the time, and he was standing in my doorway. I was trapped! Once I took a moment and stepped back, I realized I wasn’t in any danger at all. This enabled me to hear Devon’s story and assess his immediate needs. I helped him find a bus pass to a local men’s shelter and sent him out with fresh sandwiches and stable goods to get him through the next couple of days. I often struggle in situations like this, as I’ve experienced many individuals who take advantage of our local systems of generosity. However, I reminded myself that it’s not my responsibility to judge where people are in their lives when they seek assistance. It is my responsibility to reach out and assist in extending God’s compassion, generosity, and love. Sharing God’s abundance gives us a sense of purpose and meaning, knowing we are making a positive contribution to the world around us.
We all know generosity builds stronger communities, and a culture of giving comes from sharing what God has given us. We acknowledge that it does indeed feel good to help others. Beyond these feelings, we discover that we honor God and His creation by sharing the resources He has gifted us in responsible ways. One way we can be good stewards of God’s creation is by personal and corporate responsibility. This can play out in a variety of ways. Simple stewardship can include the basics of taking care of God’s world: reducing pollution, reducing consumption, reusing and recycling items, and focusing our lives on events and resources that will empower the lonely and build equity in our world instead of building up our own lives. It is important for us to invest our time and resources in activities that sustain and regenerate God’s beautiful world and not to contribute to its destruction and demise. One of my favorite hymns of all time is This is My Father’s World by Maltbie D. Babcock. While he was a pastor, he loved the outdoors and would often tell his friends he was “going out to see my Father’s world.” He would then head out the door for a long hike in the nearby mountains:
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world:
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
The most common hymn tune for this text is TERRA BEATA. It is believed to be taken from an old English melody that arranger Franklin Sheppard’s mother sang to him when he was a little boy. Terra beata means “blessed earth” or “blessed land” in Latin. We have indeed been blessed by God with a happy and blessed earth. One of the best ways to celebrate God’s abundance is by living a life of service and devotion to Christian discipleship.
All Thy Gifts of Love
by David Brunner
For food in a world where many walk in hunger,
For peace in a world where many walk in fear,
For friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give you thanks, O God, We give you thanks, O God.
For health in a world where many walk in sickness,
For joy in a world where many walk in grief,
For friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give you thanks, O God.
For love in a world where many walk in anger,
Light in a world where many walk in darkness,
Friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give you thanks, O God.
For these and all the many things unspoken,
For gifts unknown or, as of yet, unseen.
For these and all thy gifts of love,
We give thee thanks, O God.
© 2006 Boosey and Hawkes
Text: Diocese of Huron with additional verses by David Brunner
