I have a black thumb. I can fit gardening successes on one hand: I grew little cucamelons one summer, and I managed to grow herbs in a pot once or twice, though I’m pretty sure they eventually died. Basically if I need to water it, it needs to tell me or it’s going to die. The best I’ve done was the AeroGarden my brother got me for Christmas 2 years ago... mostly because the herbs literally grew in water.
Water is so important to plants. Roots are important as well. Not long after starting my AeroGarden, the mint started to take over. After a few weeks of this and worrying my other herbs would suffer, I attempted to replant it. When I pulled at the mint, the roots were so big that I had to significantly cut them with scissors to be able to even remove the plant from the apparatus. And some roots were difficult to cut through.
We are to have such deep, nourishing roots as well- like those of a tree planted by a stream. They help us grow, and flourish. They help us dig deep and be nourished by God and our faith. Because for us that’s what these roots are: being rooted in Christ; being rooted in faith.
Last week, we heard Jesus give the greatest commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. I focused on loving our neighbor, but the first part is incredibly important.
See God loves us unconditionally, and in that command we’re being asked to pretty much do the same. This isn’t easy. And when we don’t love God like that, our relationship is unbalanced. And unbalanced relationships are unhealthy.
You know the story of the prodigal son: A father has 2 sons whom he dearly loves. But the youngest essentially says “You’re dead to me- I want my inheritance now.” The father, loving his son, divides everything between the two, and the younger runs off and squanders it. I’m sure it broke the father’s heart, but he never stopped loving his son.
Unreciprocated love is heart-breaking. Loving with your entire heart and knowing that the person hasn’t thought about you at all can be devastating. I sincerely believe that when we don’t love God, it breaks God’s heart because God loves us so much and we keep turning away.
But when we love God back, that relationship changes. When the prodigal son returns in humility, his father loves him as much as ever, but the relationship changes as the love is given on both sides. And when we give that love to God, love overflows.
Being rooted in faith so that we trust in God and love God with our entire being means that there is a trust in God that things will work out. I’ve heard from some of you about that deep relationship you have with Christ so that, even in those moments when you might rail at Jesus and ask “Why?”, you know that Christ is present. The Spirit is with you. And God is ultimately in control. Even when you can’t feel that presence, you know it’s there.
This is faith. And this deep faith leads to the fruit of a generous spirit. See, when we can see the abundance of God, when we can see God is at work in our lives and trust God’s hand, we are more able to trust that things will be ok. In Matthew 6 and Luke 12, Jesus tells us not to worry. That if God provides food for the birds and clothes the wildflowers, then God will take care of us as well. So do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear.
Honestly, my husband has been better at trusting in God in this way than I have. I’m used to thinking I have to be self-sufficient: always save for a rainy day because who knows what will happen. That train of thought leads to budgeting, but it also leads to stressing out when saving isn’t possible in unusual circumstances. There’s a balance; there’s a trust that God will be there. People will come through, and there are back up plans if they don’t. We can budget for what we give the church. We can be generous and not stress out. We can recognize just how much we have and, in all honesty, how little we need.
The generosity of spirit is also part of the overflow of love that comes when we love God with our entire selves. Instead of focusing on ourselves, we become more focused on others.
I’ve seen God at work here, and I’ve seen your faith and the generosity that has overflowed from that: the desire to help with Hurricane Helene, and the number of donations that were given for it. Coming out and decorating trunks for Trunk or Treat, and bringing bags upon bags of extra candy. All of the help you’ve given with the Community Meals when we host. How you donate time to different church events as well as things in the community. If you’re starting to slow a little and other things are taking your time, the generosity continues in other ways. There are so many ways that you are being generous, including what you are able to pledge and give to the church.
Let’s continue to deepen our connection with God that we might live generously even in challenging times. Spend time with our Lord: talk to God in prayer, read scripture and listen to how God is speaking to you. Spend time with God’s people- the community of believers has always been an important part of being in relationship with God. Ladies: if you’re available at 11 on Thursday, join other women of the church at Mary B’s just down the road for lunch and fellowship. And let Barb know you plan to be there. Join us for Bible study on Wednesday evenings in the Harris Room. Last time, we looked at how we are created to depend on each other: we need each other. This week we’ll look at how God creates diversity.
A deep connection with God can strengthen and sustain us, enabling us to live generously even in challenging times. Being connected to Christ leads to a fruitful life and one of generosity. So let us grow in Christ, deepening our spiritual roots and continuing to share the love of Christ as we share our blessings. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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