One of the legacies of the Reformation was to
make us suspicious of art and colour and symbolism and yet it is so
important. Without it religion can become a dutiful thing, an
obligation without the spark of joy and wonder. I love the harvest
season because it alerts us to the fact the God not only wants us to
provide for our needs but to have us rejoice in his love and delight
in the material things around us.
To illustrate the point I told the story of an
African delegate to missionary conference held in England. On the
final day of the conference he went out and bought his wife a ring to
take home as a gift. Some of the other delegates, knowing how poor he
and his family were, questioned his decision, thinking something more
practical would have been useful.
His answer was instructive:
"I didn’t want to take her home something
to remind her of her need,
but rather something that would
tell her that she was loved.'
So we praise God, the Creator, for all the
reminders of his love for us, as well s being thankful that he
supplies our needs.
