Every summer when I was a kid, our family and several of our neighbours and relatives would head off to ranching country with its rolling hills and thousands of acres of grassland. After finding a likely spot, we would spread out some big blankets for a table, make coffee and take out sandwiches, cakes and cookies for lunch. The main focus of the picnic was to pick Saskatoon berries that grew abundantly on the hillsides and in the valleys.
We kids loved it, a great break from our regular farm chores and the boring days at school. We each had a pail to fill and then to empty into a small barrel. Mostly our pails never got filled since we ate the berries almost as fast as we could pick.
Summer fruit is a symbol of the fullness and satisfaction and completeness God intended for us. Summer fruit is not only nourishing, it is beautiful, attractive to the senses. Interestingly, Amos reminds us that the beauty and abundance of what nature provides are intended also for “the needy” and the “poor of the land.”
O God, we thank you for the natural pleasure given us through the beauty of summer fruit. We thank you also for the reminder to share the beauty of our abundance with those who are in need. Amen. — RN