First Fruits
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So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’
- Deuteronomy 26:10
God told Moses that when he and the wandering Israelites finally inherit the land God wants to give them, they are to settle in and plant crops, and when those crops are harvested, they are to gather their ‘first fruits’ and bring them to God. The first fruits are the best of the yield. They are the ones you’d feel proud putting into the county fair competition. The ones that are the biggest, ripest, firmest, sweetest, best. That is what you are called to give away to God - before anyone else, even your self or your family. Why? Because every single thing you have is something you would not have without God. God gave you the land, the rain, the sun, the soil, the seeds, the strong back, hands and legs for farming, your breath, your life - the list goes on and on.
I will remember God with the first fruit of the ground. Because you, O God, gave me this ground.
Today is Ash Wednesday - the first day of Lent 2022. The first day of your big opportunity to re-prioritize the spiritual fruits of your own life - to think about where you give your very best, and how that giving deepens or depletes your honoring and praise and love of God.
Life is quite a hustle and bustle, and our reliance of God can so easily be forgotten because we’re so busy being our own people, steering our own ships, creating our own destinies. Sometimes it’s only in a crisis that we really examine why God might be very important to us. Lent comes along to remind us to practice this ancient commandment before it’s just too late to develop a mature and faithful relationship with God in your life. It’s a season to give to God what is God’s, and to bring that giving further up toward the top of your to-do list.
What spiritual practice will you offer as your first fruits to God this year? For most of us these days, our most precious commodity is time. How could you put aside some time for God? Could you put aside some time each day for solitude and silence? Could you spend some time discovering and practicing a new way to pray - with poetry or journalling, or learn the ancient practice of lectio divina? How about putting aside some time to study one of the books of the bible or to read some classic works by a spiritual father or mother of the church - or to read some CS Lewis, or learn more about church history? Could you commit to taking regular time outside in nature to really listen to creation? Maybe you want to dedicate more time to those in need, preparing or delivering food to Hundred Nights or helping out at the food pantry? Or maybe you feel the need to empty yourself through a time of fasting or confessing - or working on getting the support you need to make necessary changes in your life?
The past two years of pandemic have caused us all to examine our priorities and what is most important to us. How will this Lenten season be a time for you to live more deeply into your renewed priorities with God? How will you offer your first fruits this year?
