Read: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. (v. 11)
My garden in Iowa had an asparagus patch. Every year, the asparagus came up before anything else. When I harvested my first asparagus spear, I snapped the tender shoot off at the soil and carried it inside carefully. My heart overflowed with joy. This spear was the “first fruits” of my garden.
In Deuteronomy 26, the people of Israel are given instructions for how to offer the first fruits of the harvest to the Lord. After God freed them from Egypt, they were a wandering people. They didn’t have a consistent place to call home. Soon they’d enter the land God promised. They’d build homes, plant gardens, and raise children. Once they entered the land, they needed to remember that God was still giving them good things.
God still gives us good things today. The world has many challenges. Some days it might be hard to see or believe that God is still offering good gifts to us. I have found it helpful to end each day by thinking through the day’s experiences and pausing to be grateful for what’s good. This helps me remember that God was with me, and that God will be with me tomorrow too. Take a moment and reflect on the good things in your life. Offer praise to God for these “first fruits.” —April Fiet
As you pray, ask God to help you remember what’s good.
About the Author
April Fiet co-pastors First Presbyterian Church in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and is a published author. She enjoys gardening, feeding her backyard chickens, and learning about new things.
