Sowing and Reaping

2 Corinthians 9

Paul continues to speak the truth in love to the Corinthian believers...even as God uses Paul to speak to you and I - out of God's love for each of us! God so desires for us to relate to Him and one another out of love - a relationship of love. My recent reading outside of the Bible, has been calling (me) to think more about relationship - the reality that God is revealing Himself through the Scripture in order to draw us into a deeper still relationship with Him!

The Bible is words on a page without experiencing a relationship with our Creator, Maker, Savior, and Sustainer of our lives! Before the Bible was - God was! The Bible isn't God (sounds silly, doesn't it?), the Bible isn't first about authority (God's) and submission (ours). It is first to draw us into relationship with the Lover of our souls - the One in Whose heart and mind we were...before we were!

So, with this reality in mind - we hear Paul saying through his words, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give what s/he has decided in his/her heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace about to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (vs. 6-8).

Paul was able to share this admonition about giving, because he had a vital, life-giving, love relationship with God - through Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit - AND he had a relationship with the believers at Corinth! He knew God - God's heart and character; and he knew the Corinthians. He was being used by the Lord to connect further the Corinthians to the Lord. He was using the example of God's generosity, which is (to be) displayed through God's people - in giving. Just as God loves to give and be generous, without expecting anything in return, God enables us to do the same. The reason we can do this is because God (the Holy Spirit) lives in us who are saved, we experience God's generosity (God's grace) time and time again, and we are enabled to 'go and do likewise.'

Paul can assure the believers at Corinth that their cheerful giving will be poured back onto them in abundance through God's grace. The important aspect for God is the condition of their hearts in giving - not the amount. It is funny, isn't it - that when we have the desire to give from the heart, we do have a cheerfulness and gladness in it...and often give more than we think is possible! Paul is speaking of money in this portion of Scripture - but giving is not limited to money. Giving of ourselves, talents, gifts, abilities, time and self is to be generous!

And in our relationship with the Lord, through our relationship with the Lord, generosity is not only possible, but is forth coming - as a natural (super-natural) outgrowth of our relationship with God and all that God does and has done and will continue to do in our relationship with Him!

"Lord, thank You for such great generosity You show to me, to us. God, I ask that You give each one of us a greater capacity to see You in relationship with us - Your giving, kindness, graciousness, mercy, and abundance - that we in turn would display generosity, as an overflow of our relationship with You! Thank You Lord!"