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The Bidells had 3 of the last Ragu tomato sauce jars in all of Canada. Until recently. It’s true.
 
For whatever reason, our family’s go-to tomato sauce became Ragu’s original through the years. Our children were raised with it in their spaghetti every week. And if we ever made pizza, lasagne, or anything that needed the right blend of salty-sweet-and-zesty-tomato-sauciness, in went Ragu’s original.
 
Until the pandemic began. Your family may not have noticed, but ours did.
 
Not long after the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe, Ragu announced that they would shut down the production and sales of their products in Canada.
 
We wept.
 
And then….
 
…we bought as many Ragu’s off the shelves as we could find (within reason, so as to not be akin to toilet paper hoarders – ha!).
 
When we moved to Comox in the fall of 2020 we brought the last 3 Ragu’s we had with us. Knowing we may never have Ragu original again, painful consideration went into each time we contemplated opening a jar.
 
Finally, one was opened for one last spaghetti.
 
Then, after savoring the memory for several months, one more was opened for one last pizza night.
 
Then, only weeks ago, the last was opened for one last lasagne.
 
Sigh.
 
Maybe you know what it’s like to handle something in scarce supply?
 
Genesis 26 tells a fascinating story. The land that Isaac lived in was in famine. There was likely a lengthy drought that caused food to be in extremely short supply. God spoke to Isaac and told him not to go to Egypt (where others were rushing to get provisions), but to stay. He did (wow!). Genesis 26.12 says, “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him.”
 
Did you catch that?
 
Isaac had a store of seeds during a famine. What’s one of the worst things you can do with seed during a drought? Plant it. At the very least, the seed could be reserved and rationed to be eaten and serve as a little bit of nourishment for his family.
 
Isaac took a sacrificial step of faith. He put his seed into the ground. Imagine the risk! What if there wouldn’t be enough irrigation to cause the seed to sprout and multiply?
 
Isaac was clearly putting his trust in God.
 
This story from Genesis reminds me of the insanity of generosity. Sometimes giving doesn’t seem to make sense. But when it occurs it produces a harvest for God’s glory.
 
I wanted to write today to commend you, the people of CPC, for your faith, sacrifice, and generosity.
 
We have been in a pandemic for two years now, there is international unrest, war, and uncertainty, and gas prices have skyrocketed (among other inflations). And yet, you have been moved by God to sow seed, trusting Him for a harvest.
 
Already this year:

  • Just over $5,000 has come in for our Next Generation Priority. Our goal this year is $15,000 and we are 1/3 of the way there. We want to make a statement that our CPC children and teens as well as the 12,000 others in the Comox Valley represent good soil for a great gospel harvest here. May God grant us great favour to reach, love and disciple many in the years to come! Amen?
  • Nearly $5,000 has come in to plant 5 churches in India. Wow! Our goal for this year is $6,000; we are almost there. The potential for us to be part of reaching hundreds, if not thousands, of people with the gospel through these new churches is very real.
  • Nearly $5,000 has come in for Ukraine relief. What a privilege for us to be sending this support to directly help 5,000 displaced people in Ukraine right now.

Thank you for your engagement in these important opportunities. Thank you for your ongoing faithfulness in giving regularly to our general fund. Thank you for excelling in the “grace of giving” (2 Cor 8) and in the insanity of generosity.
 
And thank you —in advance— to anyone who happens to cross south of the 49 th parallel and bring back a Ragu original for me and my family!

 
Pastor Mike