Living In God’s Abundance
There’s a story about a little girl who came home from school with a single acorn in her hand. “Look, Mom!” she said. “It’s a whole forest!” Her mother smiled, not quite following, until the girl added, “Because if I plant it, trees will grow. And more acorns will fall. And someday there will be forests where there weren’t any before.” That’s the kind of vision Jesus invites us into when He talks about God’s abundance. In God’s economy, a small seed, a little faith, a few loaves and fish — these are never merely “enough. They are the beginning of overflow. They are gifts that grow, nourish, and multiply when placed in God’s hands. This week we’re beginning a new Fall worship series called “Living in God’s Abundance.” Scripture reminds us again and again that our lives are an outpouring of God’s overflowing abundance and generosity:
When Jesus blesses five loaves and two fish, the hungry are fed and the baskets overflow (Matthew 14:13–21).
When Jesus declares Himself the Bread of Life, He promises nourishment that will never fail (John 6:25–40).
When Jesus describes the Great Banquet, we glimpse a table wide enough for all (Luke 14:16–23).
God’s abundance isn’t about having “more” in the modern sense — it’s about an overflowing that transforms lives. The abundance of forgiveness softens hardened hearts. The abundance of grace welcomes the stranger. The abundance of joy lifts spirits even in seasons of challenge. As we enter this season of thanksgiving, we invite you to pause and remember that everything we have — from breath to bread — comes from a generous God. And in turn, we are called to live as partners in that generosity, as Paul writes in Philippians 1:5: “I thank my God every time I remember you, because of your partnership in the gospel.”
To live in God’s abundance is to see the world as that little girl did — to look at a single acorn, a single act of love, a single offering of time or talent, and trust that God can grow it into something far greater than we imagine. Something abundant. May this season awaken our gratitude, expand our generosity, and open our eyes to the forests of blessing God is already planting all around us.
