Daily Worship

Good Value

Andy Campbell June 23, 2016 0 0

Matthew 13

The Kingdom of God is like treasure buried in a field.
When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in joy sold all that he had and went and bought that field !
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds one of great value, he went away and selling all the others, returned to purchase that single precious find.

The first day of the Show is traditionally ‘Farmers’ Day’ when people from the Islands, Highland glens and Lowland straths come to show or sell their products, and meet up with family and friends.    At the many Young Farmers’ events they may meet their future husband/wife !   Schools are bringing parties of children to the rural educational programme to teach them where food comes from and how life in the countryside works.

 

A walk around my supermarket, Is a journey round your wondrous world,
O God of growth and grace; of generosity and of genes.
Hot spices from Sri Lanka, sit beside berries from Blairgowrie
And there are Italian Amaretti to enjoy with aromatic Columbian coffee.

We know much of menu-making and tasty titbits,
Yet little of the men and women who
Plough ‘n’ plant, who pick ‘n’ pack
To bring Earth’s rich harvest to a shelf near us.

Lord I do rejoice in the rich variety that I may select from,
And I know I carp at the cost; and then, just sometimes, I wonder
‘How much do the workers of this world’s farm need to invest
of their time and energy; their past and future to satisfy my desires?’

You, challenge us to value what You lovingly give
In the earth’s resources and in our neighbours near and far
… And then I see it, and my soul sinks into shame:-
The sign that tells that I can buy four litres of full cream milk for £1.

Cheaper than water;  
on sale for less than it costs a dairy farmer to produce:
…… And my ‘bargain’ can beggar my neighbour.
And I am speechless in Your presence, Lord.

Father God, Help me this day to learn the true values of Your Kingdom,
And not only to learn a lesson in theory, but how to live out the lesson
Displaying the hallmarks of Your Kingdom,
Integrity, Justice, Compassion, Grace – in the footsteps of my Saviour. Amen.