Harvest It’s here again ! It comes around so soon I’m sure it’s come sooner than last year and you can see it’s now definitely Autumn . In a couple of weeks we will be changing the clocks yet again. I always think it’s amazing how things grow. Anne and me always have just put the seeds in and left the rest to Nature and God’s care . This year has been an odd one . we have had a bumper crop of Strawberries but the Raspberries have not been  so good as part of the old Raspberry area has taken by the patio, but the undisturbed Blackcurrants have done ok  . The Beetroots , which haven’t been a great success before have been a great success but the usually abundant  Courgettes have been sparse.

The reading from Joel says ‘ Earth fear not , but rejoice for the Lord has done great things.  People of Zion rejoice  in the Lord your God , who gives you food in due measure by sending you rain.’  Most of us are not too keen on the rain – especially when it comes like it has recently! but we are sent it to grow our food . there’s nothing better than going out into the garden and picking your food just before you eat it.

Joel goes on to say ‘ you will eat until you are satisfied.’

What a wonderful reassurance that is .

In Matthew Jesus tells us ‘ do not be anxious about what you will eat or wear ‘ No one can make any difference to their life span by doing that . He tells us that even the sparrows are precious to God and we made in his image are more precious . That no matter how ‘on trend’ our clothes are we are clothed even more splendid than Solomon as are the birds.

Easy to say but  not easy to remember in this world that is so taken up with fashion, envy and greed . the need to be the best , have the most.

Think of our brothers and sisters across the world who have nothing – quite literally ! in a lot of these places Christianity is growing because their focus is on God , who will see them through.

We in the western world have lost this closeness and we need to be reminded of it . That God knows what we need and he won’t fail us .

It’s a message that if we can truly believe it and reflect it in our relations to those we meet and live among then we can show our neighbours that this is something to strive to have – the presence of that revolutionary Jesus in our lives – the one who turned the people of his day’s world upside down and inside out.

We are told to seek first the Kingdom of God and the rest will come to us as well. Each day has troubles enough of its’ own .

It’s very easy to think we have so many problems , I know that it is tempting for me to say , Why me ? why should I get ill ? what have I done ? but then I remember that I am here in God’s grace , whilst there are many who have no food, who are in a wheelchair  and I do thank God for that .

I can still walk , I have food and shelter and in truth no need to worry but I do and I have to remember that whatever happens it is God’s will .

He gives me what I need and I am called to share that message with those to whom he sends me and to share what I can with those who need it .

I have hopes that I may yet be called to his banquet when his work for me here is done . I will share that with those I meet as much as I can – not only through words but through my actions . This is what we need to do as a church – to seek God’s direction in these next months and to seek his Kingdom not only for ourselves but for those among whom we live