Worth Repeating - August 30, 2017

I Chronicles 29: 14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (NIV)

Who ever gave any thing to God that he did not first receive from him?*

This verse follows the prayer offered by David at the beginning of the construction of the temple. He and the people of Israel had given generously of their treasure to finance the house of worship. Christians who have learned the joy of giving can relate to the deep satisfaction David and his people were experiencing.

But David’s reminder in verse 16 is as timely now as it was then: “O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.” Yes, the people had been lavish in their gifts towards the building of the temple but had they forgotten who had given them their wealth in the first place? We see how much they gave away, but do we know how much they kept for themselves?

In an offering meditation, a friend told about buying some French fries for his son. When he asked the boy if he could have a couple of the fries, the son was reluctant. “They’re mine,” he said. “Really?” the dad asked. “Where did you get them?” The boy would have had no French fries at all if not for his father’s benevolence.

When you find yourself hesitating to give generously to the Lord’s work, ask yourself who provided your wealth in the first place. When God provides an order of fries, how stingy are we to refuse to give some of them back to him!

Acknowledge that you have nothing that wasn’t God’s in the first place and lose that possessive and selfish barrier to blessed giving.

Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give.*