Abundant Blessings

“The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.” – Deuteronomy 28:12 NIV

It became an iconic portrayal of the ideal Thanksgiving feast. Norman Rockwell’s painting Freedom from Want pictured friends, family members, and neighbors sitting around a table, smiles on every face, enjoying fellowship as they prepared to share their Thanksgiving meal.

The idyllic scene was made in response to an address by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941 in which he stressed four freedoms (including freedom from want).

Initially, the response to Rockwell’s painting was not uniformly positive. Some, including Rockwell himself, were concerned that the imagery might not be realistic. Some complained that he stressed overabundance during wartime when many faced hardships. The objections were eventually answered.

With the support of a national magazine, the painting was exposed to the public. It struck a chord. Thousands of prints were reproduced and sold, and the public fell in love with Rockwell’s portrayal.

The imagery reminds us of God’s promise of abundance if His people obey Him and follow His commands (v. 1). But there is more to joy than abundant resources. This joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that comes from fellowshiping with believers and from sharing with others.

God desires to bless us abundantly, but He also wants us to be generous, concerned with those in need, and share out of the abundance He provides.

Reflection Question: How can you practically share out of your abundance with those in need?