Reflection: ‘O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all.’ (Psalm 104:24), ESV
When you hear the word pumpkin, what do you think of? Soup? Pie? The colour orange? Do you smell pumpkin cooking? With onion and garlic? Once, I visited our local fruit and veggie shop and noticed—really noticed—the pumpkins. Lots of pumpkins. Some were tiny, round and orange, others were striped green and white, still others plain or light brown, coming in all shapes and sizes. I was dazzled. I filled my bag with a half dozen pumpkins, all different, and told the woman who runs the shop that this was my “bunch of flowers for the week”. She laughed and responded that at least I could then cook them and eat them! Three weeks later, though, they continued to adorn our table. They were too beautiful to eat straight away.
These pumpkins have made me think about how creative our creator God is. He could have been a utilitarian, no-frills kind of maker. When he made the seed-bearing plants, he could have made them all, say, white, the same shape and size. But God used all the colours in the paint box, vibrant and rich in hue and texture and variety. He could have simply made one type of pumpkin, but instead, the Creator seriously mixed it up!
During this time of pandemic, I have found my world has become greyer and colder and bleaker. So, when I was simply shopping, God gave me this glorious burst of orange. Those pumpkins made me smile. This was a moment of grace, during an ordinary routine, given to me by our Creator God. Pumpkins have given me a new song to sing. In his kindness and love he has given me a vegetable that is both edible and happy. Eventually, I put this ‘bouquet’ of pumpkins in the oven, poured olive oil over them, added some onion and garlic, and made soup—rich, thick, orangey pumpkin soup. It smelt of warmth and fed my family with earthy goodness. Up until then, I sang and enjoyed their lumpy look and thanked our Creative God. What a glorious truth to rest in!
Prayer: “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all…
When you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.” Amen. (Psalm 104:24, 28, 33)