Girded with rejoicing

The pastures of the wilderness drip;

And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.

The meadows are clothed with flocks

And the valleys are covered (mantled NIV) with grain. Psalm 65:12-13 NASB

Ah, the blessings of the Lord...clothing the hillsides with sheep...the picture I see here in Iowa would be cattle grazing the in picked corn fields...the multiplying of the livestock...life abounding. The amber waves of grain cresting all over the land...we look to this time of year and see that God has blessed us with an abundant harvest. The pear and apple trees are putting out their abundance this year due to the late frosts of the past 2 years...all that pent up energy and desire to bear fruit that trees have, have managed to try to make up for the past to the point that the branches are breaking under the weight of the fruit that is overabundant. The hills are rejoicing with the site of all of the blessings of another year.

But this came after repentance and God forgiving their transgressions. There was a drawing near to God that happened to allow God to serve up these blessings.

Like the years of frost, there was little fruit, little harvest. There was damage done at just the wrong time. God had been unable to bless because iniquity and sin (conscious and unconscious error and wrongdoing) had abounded instead. But “You choose and bring near to you.” God forgave and drew near those who had ignored or rebelled against Him. He is a God that wants to bless, but so often we prevent Him from doing so. Be may experience drought of the soul, of life, of hope. But then we ask for forgiveness and He is so happy we come that He draws us near and throws a party of blessing. He clothes us with the fruit of His goodness. He dresses the fields, the hills, and the valleys – the high points and the low, with good things. Sometimes we see those blessings as things we deserve...sad creatures that we are...instead of as the result of God's desire to give us good things to reflect His generosity. And when He wants to show us that it is Him, His power, that He fills our branches or fishing nets to the point of breaking and tearing (see John!). The theme of feast or famine holds fairly true in our lives because that is how God gets our attention on both ends. The famine brings us to God in humility, and the blessing brings us to that point as well, knowing full well we do not deserve His blessing. “Normal” is where we are comfortable...where we feel like we have worked for what we have and think little of the God who provided both the blessing and the ability to work to earn it. The extremes of parched lands and souls and breaking branches of super-abundance both make our hearts yearn to know the God who is able to withhold or give freely. The unexpected causes us to fall to our knees in worship.

Deuteronomy 8:18 comes to mind. “But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

I went through an entire month of not being able to use my right hand. For those of you who are right-handed, you understand that this would be more than just a little inconvenient. The fearful part was this: everything I do to earn money, or even serve my family, requires my right hand. I cut with rotary cutter and ruler, requiring 2 hands, sew, hold a book, wash dishes, cook, and work at the local quilt shop or retail store. Without 2 hands, I was worth very little. I could get some things done, essentials like getting a dinner cooked, laundry sorted and washed, but I couldn't cut bolts of fabric or use a box cutter and stock shelves. And I wasn't sure I would ever be able to again. That is a frightening place to be. But it was God who would give the power to make wealth. It was up to Him to determine what I would be able to do. I had to trust Him that if my quilting career was over that He had something else He wanted for my life to focus its time and attention on. Typing this would be possible, but to be truthful, I probably would not take the time to type one-handed, and therefore would not be doing this study in cloth. I consider it a blessing to have my hand back and to do the things I do. My stash has grown to the point of overabundance. He blesses my shopping with sales that enable me to bless others, as well as letting those pretty things bless my heart in the process. He puts people in my life to do the parts of the process better than I could so that I can fulfill the promise to get things made.

But most of all, He reminds me over and over that He is my abundance and provision forever. Nothing on earth can compare with Him. Feast or famine, He is my portion, my food and drink, my very survival. And when the sheep are on the hills, He shows us His generosity and love.