The God of the Open Hand

30 Day Church Challenge:  Day 23
Read pgs 116-119, 30DCC Guidebook

"You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."  Psalm 145:16

"Earth is drenched in God's affectionate satisfaction."  Psalm 33:5 

So, check out this number:  70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

That's seventy "sextillion."  That's the estimated number of stars in our universe.  Today's reading tells us that illustrates the unlimited creative nature of God.

Number of different species of native flowers on earth?  270,000.

The list could go on, and on, and on.  

And so, we humans are left with some choices.  We could become worshipers of our own intellect, and believe that we are smart enough that we have now completely understood the observable universe around us.  We could say that it's all a marvelous, unlikely, amazing cosmic accident, and that intense biodiversity is simply the best evolutionary model.

Or, we could embrace all that science can teach us, while making that knowledge complete with a deeply held faith in the "something more" that there must surely be.  That something is God, our creator.  And that creator is the God of the Open Hand.

What would change in our lives if we truly could begin to see the world around us as part and parcel of God's extravagant generosity?  Everything on the news, and most of what you see on facebook and hear in coffee shop conversations is all about the opposite.  It's about lack, and need, and fear.

But scripture tells us a different story.   What we have learned through science confirms it.  The diversity and expanse of the universe is beyond our ability to truly conceive of it.    God is expansive, and we can be too.

Grace, Peace, and Courageous Generosity,
Adam

Today's Small Step:  Give something anonymously today.  For example, pay for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop -- that kind of thing.  Get creative!

Today's Big Idea:    Which is harder?  Giving generously, or giving cheerfully?  Why?