The Barns Are Full

by Rev Greg Obong-Oshotse 8 January 2021

Text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature . . .”

Many ancient societies relied on a good harvest for survival. They would work hard during the sowing and growing seasons, and even harder during the harvest to bring in the crops before they were lost. Between one harvest and the next, families did a lot of economics to make sure they never ran out of food. A full barn was usually the main guarantee of food security. Although many societies still go through that seasonal cycle, science has given humanity better ways to achieve food security.

In the spiritual life, we can hardly escape the seasons. They provide the architecture for our many liturgies. We roll from Advent into Christmas, and then through Lent into Easter and Pentecost with gaps for ‘downtime’ in between. Now a New Year has just begun and, as with other years, this one comes with its own challenges for which we’ll need spiritual muscle. The apostles John and Peter provide us with assurance that our spiritual barns are full. The Lord came to bring us abundant life, says John. And through the knowledge of the Lord, we have access to all things that pertain to life and godliness, says Peter. There’s no lack of spiritual nourishment. Go daily to the barn for nourishment, and you will always have enough strength for the challenges that you’ll face.

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Prayer Dear Father, we praise You for our full barns in Christ’s name, Amen