Lent 2013

Thursday, First Week of Lent

Is there anyone among you, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone?  Or if the child asks for fish, will you give a snake?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!  Matthew 7:9-11

God is a God of abundance, not a God of scarcity.  Jesus reveals to us God's abundance when he offers so much bread to the people that there are twelve large baskets with leftover scraps, and when he make his disciples catch so many fish that their boa nearly sinks.  God doesn't give us just enough, God gives us more than enough: more bread and fish than we can eat, more love than we dared to ask for.

God is a generous giver, but we can only see and enjoy God's generosity when we love God with all of our hears, minds and strength.  As long as we say, "I will love you, God, but first show me your generosity," we will remain distant from God and unable to experience what God truly wants to give us, which is life and life in abundance.

Lord, help me to love you with all my hear, mind and strength so that I can receive all the bounty of your love.

Action: Since we know that God is the God of abundance and there are enough food and resources in the world for all people, why do so many die each day of hunger related diseases?  Part of the answer to this question is that we do not share or care for the "least of these" in the way God intended.   Our youth will be wrestling with this issue at the 30-Hour Famine on March 1st and 2nd.  I encourage you to find ways to make a difference in lives of families in the Osceola community by donating Mac-n-Cheese to the backpack program.  Your action now makes a difference to a child tomorrow when the back packs are sent home with them for the weekend.

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