WATCHWORD:
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Deuteronomy 15:10
Whoever brings blessings, will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25a
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. Luke 6:38
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 2 Corinthians 9:10
Meditation:
Giving – A God Thing?
What goes through your mind when your church council hands out the “Pledge Cards” on Stewardship Sunday? The treasurer goes through the budget for the coming year and you note that your church is going to carry over a surplus or, heaven forbid, ends of the year in the red. Either way, surplus or deficit, do you factor that into your decision?
So, rather than cause any of you discomfort, let me make it personal. What goes through MY mind as I look at the card in my hand and try to figure out what can we afford? Can we tithe? Let’s see, we are planning this vacation trip to California and we have been asked to join a group tour of the Holy Land. Maybe we should cut back a little on our giving. No, that is not right. Ah, what to do? Sigh.
Can you relate? How do you view giving, tithing, generosity? Can you take to heart that “God loves a cheerful giver”? How about this from “Verse A Day”: Giving is a heart issue whether you are talking about financial dollars, the attitude with which you give, your time; all of it is a matter of the heart.”
If we could only get our mind out of our checkbooks, investments, schedules; and surrender it all to God, come what may. Why do we even quibble over this? If we have experienced the crucifixion with Jesus, then my personal life is God’s. And when we consider the Resurrection of Jesus as simply a fact of our very lives, then my life, our lives, are now built on the foundation of His life. We should daily count our blessings, count our lives in Christ. You know that the blessings that touch our lives, come in various forms. Sometimes, we do not always recognize how this could possibly be a blessing, but, in the long run, we come to realize that we have been greatly blessed.
It is God that supplies our abundance and our means to give, and it is God who increases our store of assets and enlarges our wealth. Note that God does something else. He has given us the capacity, within ourselves, to “produce a great harvest of generosity.”
So, maybe the question is: How are you using that great harvest of your God-given abilities and assets to give, to be generous, to tithe, to see a need and address it?
I believe that God does love a cheerful giver, but I also pray that God loves a grumpy giver, you know, one that gives with a generous heart, despite that character flaw. Let’s see: cheerful vs. grumpy. Which are you? Of more importance, are you a giver? At the heart of it all, giving is a God thing. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; We are channels made for giving. –Billy Graham
Closing Prayers:
God of All Goodness, give me a heart for generosity. Show me how to hold my possessions lightly, ever mindful of their temporary value. Inspire me to share what I have in full measure, so that others are able to live without need or want. Let me know the grace of a bountiful life, one overflowing with gratitude for all that I have to give. In the name of your generous son, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Almighty God, Father to us all. Every good and perfect gift is from you, You share them as a sign of your love. I share them as a sign of your love at work in me. Lord Jesus, Savior to us all, Your love and grace are extravagant, Leaping every barrier; building every bridge. Teach me to be the same. Holy Spirit, Guardian to us all, Your passion and persevering sustain creation Fill me with your joy and generosity So all that I am, and all that I have, Brings honor to your name. Amen
