We Give - God Blesses
Monday, October 14 John 6:1-13
“They all ate untilthey were full”
Jesus has been healing the sick andperforming other miracles; huge crowds have begun to follow him. Although Jesus seems to want to have a secludedand private conversation with his disciples, his whereabouts soon become knownand a great crowd of people find him. Seeing them, Jesus asks his disciples where they can buy bread to feedall the people. They inform Jesus thereis no way they have enough money to buy food for the now thousands of peoplewho have come to see Jesus.
Then Andrew speaks up and says thatalthough a small boy has volunteered his lunch of five barley loaves and twofish, what good can that possibly do? Jesus takes the boy’s meal, gives thanks for it, and passes it out. Miraculously, the loaves and fish multiplyand there is more than enough for everyone. Jesus received what was offered, although it seemed woefully inadequate,and used it to meet the needs of the people. So it is with us: we give God what we have, even if it doesn’t look likemuch, and he will use it to bless others.
Heavenly Father, little can become muchwhen you are involved with it. Amen.
Tuesday, October 15 Luke 10:38-42
“There is really only one thing worth being concerned about”
What are youconcerned about today? What has yourattention? School, work, sports,relationships, finances, family? Thereare so many things that can flood our minds and fill our days with anxiety andworry. Martha is too focused on herconcerns. She is so busy being graciousand polite and a good hostess that she has no time to be with the Lord.
John Bunyan,author of Pilgrim’s Progress, said:“He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find him the rest of theday.” Most people don’t spend time withGod when they wake up in the morning because they have started their day soconcerned about the many things they feel they have to get done. They enter their day with anxious hearts,troubled minds, stress in their bodies, and pain on their faces. Instead, like Mary, we need to spend timewith the Lord. Make it a priority everymorning to read God’s Word and pray. TheLord promises to give us the strength, guidance, and wisdom we need to handlethe challenges we face each day.
Help me, Lord, toturn to you and learn from you every day. Amen.
Wednesday, October 16 Proverbs 30:7-9
“Give me enough tosatisfy my needs”
How much is enough? While many will answer, “Just a little bitmore,” the wisdom of Proverbs tells us to pray for enough to satisfy ourneeds. How do we know how much is enoughfor our needs? One way to come at thatquestion is to distinguish between our needs and our wants. God has promised to meet our real needs, buthe is not a magic genie in a bottle who gives us three wishes so we can haveeverything we want regardless of how it will affect our relationship with him andwith others.
Proverbs goes on to tell us why we shouldpray for enough to satisfy our needs. Onthe one hand, if we get more than we need we may become proud of our riches andconvince ourselves that we don’t need God anymore but can take care ofourselves. On the other hand, if wedon’t have what we need, we will be compelled to behave in ways that opposeGod’s will in order to meet those needs. When we trust God to give us what we need, we will be content not towrongly seek what we really don’t need.
Helpme, Lord, to know what enough is for me and my circumstances. Amen.
Thursday, October 17 Matthew 10:37-39
“If you give up your life for me, you will find it”
Giving rightful place to family presumesgiving obedience first to God, which will then enable a person to honorappropriately one’s father and mother, sons and daughters. Jesus’ statement about family is in line withhis call to give priority to himself above all else, even one’s dearest lovedones. To take up one’s cross is ametaphor that means to take up God’s will for one’s life, in the same way thatthe cross was the Father’s will for the Son’s life. Taking up God’s plan for one’s life willresult in gaining true life as Jesus’ disciple.
Jesus is talking about our relationship tohimself: (1) to be worthy of Christ we are to put him first in all familyrelations; (2) to be worthy of Christ we are to take up his cross and identifywith him; (3) to be worthy of Christ we are to choose him and his life ratherthan selfishly trying to preserve our own way of life. When the Titanicsank in 1912, in the office of the Cunard Line in New York City there was aboard listing names of passengers in two columns headed “saved” and“lost.” In the end, that’s what it willcome down to.
I give up thethings of this world, Lord, so I may gain eternity with you. Amen.
Friday, October 18 Exodus 35:4-24
“Everyone who iswilling is to bring to the Lord an offering”
God has commandedan offering to gather materials for the tabernacle (the portable tent in whichthe Ark containing the Ten Commandments will be housed). The tabernacle is to be made out of the bestthat Israel can provide. The offering isto be brought by those of “generous heart” meaning the offering is spontaneousand unrequired. Further, it is to comefrom what the people have. Thus, oneperson who has only a little can give as generously as the person who has much,for each gives with a joyful heart out of what they have.
Not only arematerials to be given. Competentpersonnel are also needed to do the required work of building thetabernacle. God doesn’t just use theskills of trained spiritual leaders. Healso calls forth the talents that we use in other areas of life. God invites each of us to determine what hehas provided in our lives. We can thengenerously share from what we have (our time, talents, and treasure) to honorGod and help advance his work in our church, community, and world.
May I clearly see what you have given me,Lord, and generously share it. Amen.
Saturday, October 19 Leviticus 27:30-33
“One tenth belongsto the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy”
There is both amoral and a legal aspect to the idea of the tithe. The moral aspect is that believers are urgedto set aside to God a fixed proportion of their income. The legal aspect is the precise amount ofone-tenth. The moral principle isarticulated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “On the first day of every week,each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with [one’s]income.” But how much? What is the “correct” percentage?
The averageminimal giving in the Old Testament was a tenth, but the New Testament answerswith another formula: “See that you also excel in this grace of giving . .. For you know the grace of our LordJesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, sothat you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:7, 9). Perhaps we should consider not how little buthow much we can give, seeing how richly blessed we are in Christ. A popular quote about giving says, “Give Godwhat’s right, not what’s left.” Settingup a plan and starting the practice of being a faithful giver will allow you togive to God what’s right, not what’s left.
Showme, Lord, what you desire me to give regularly to your church. Amen.