Bigger barns

Monday, October 19, 2020 (today’s lectionary)

Bigger barns

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Take care to guard against greed.

One’s life does not consist of possessions.

In Urbana our barns are full. I just built a new patio outside. This summer I outfitted my charcoal grill with fancy grilling tools like a “Slow ‘n Sear.” We have too many frying pans and too many spatulas. Spiritual books and DVDs spill off at least 15 shelves. We have more than enough STUFF.

The farmer said to himself, “What shall I do to store my harvest?” And then the farmer made a big mistake. “I shall tear down my barns and build bigger ones! With all my stuff stored away I can retire, eat, drink, and be merry.”

But … the quote continues … “tomorrow we die.” So it is written, so it is done. And the farmer died broken-hearted because he did not have a chance to eat, drink and be merry after all.

It did not have to be this way.

God is rich in mercy, and brings us to life with Christ. By grace we have been saved through faith, and even this faith is not from us. Our faith is the gift of God, and by no means does it result from works.

On our way into Dallas yesterday we got yet another message about cellular data use. So we turned off our phones except to make phone calls. Oh boy, within minutes we realized we COULDN’T look something up we were curious about. No bigger barns (unlimited data) for us, at least not last night. We only had each other. Which turned out pretty well. God doesn’t make junk.

We are his handiwork, yes! We were created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared for us in advance that we might live in them.

Both Paul and the psalmist spill their words over a waterfall of grace. They both get carried away by a swift current of creativity, overwhelmed by the presence of God. They are loved and as we read their words, so are we.

Sing with joy to the Lord, serve him with gladness, come before him and know that the Lord is God who made us. Enter his gates with thanks and praise. He is good, blessed be the name of the Lord. His kindness and faithfulness endure in all times, for all time.

While Andi and Aki led a bible study online Sunday afternoon, Miles and I took a bike ride. Well, sort of. His new blue bike with training wheels (still with the “Free” sign taped to the handlebars) ached to be ridden, and Miles ached to ride it. We only made it about fifty feet before he fell, not bad, but he was scared and a little sore, and he cried for his daddy. He wasn’t available, and after a bit Miles’ tears stopped. We walked the bike back to its garage, and I offered to give Miles a blast from the past in his blue stroller. He strapped on his electric toy guitar and it played some tunes while we walked around the block.

We’ll be home tomorrow. Maybe we can find ways to pile up some of our stuff and discard it rather than just moving it from place to place. Will you pray for us? Our life does not consist merely of possessions. Jesus continues to invite us. “Walk with me,” he says. Carry nothing for your journey, trust your neighbor, trust yourself too because you can first of all and always, TRUST ME.”

(Ephesians 2, Psalm 100, Matthew 5, Luke 12)