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!"
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Giving Generously
2 Corinthians 8
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (vs 9).
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers about how generous other churches - groups of believers - had been in giving to 'in need' believers in Jerusalem. This encouragement/exhortation from Paul included pointing out that those who gave in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea gave beyond what was expected! What was expected in that they were in poverty themselves! Yet they gave sacrificially and with a desire to give! They weren't feeling guilty, they weren't giving to get in return, they weren't lording it over others...they gave out of their own need!
Paul also shared with the Corinthians that these churches, in a certain way, were following their Savior. Paul elaborates that out of God's grace (which is how the churches gave so generously out of what they didn't have), Jesus Christ became poor so that through His poverty, believers could become rich! It wasn't that Jesus while on earth in His humanity was necessarily poorer than most first century Palestinians - it was that Jesus left the riches of heaven and glory - He set aside His rights and privileges of being...God! - and came to earth. Came to earth to live among us. And believe me, the wealthiest person who has ever lived and will ever live on this earth is less than a grain of sand in all the earth privileged and with rights, compared to Jesus in Glory. Jesus did that so that believers, all who would receive Him, would be come rich - rich as to real life, rich as to eternity, rich as to have everything we need for life and Godliness.
If Jesus had not become poor, if He had not come - Corinthians, you and I would have been/be lost and undone. SO, for those in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessolinica, and Berea) to give sacrificially was a (super) natural act as being receptors of God's glorious grace and riches!
Have you ever given sacrificially? Out of what you didn't have? I haven't...I live frugally, simply, not seeking what Americans would consider luxurious, I don't spend money I don't have (by God's grace I don't have any debt...nor do I have great savings :)), and I get joy out of giving and being generous...as some might consider generous. BUT, I have not given as the Macedonian believers are recorded as highlighted by Paul. I have not given accordingly as the 'widows mite' - "but she, being poor as she is, has given everything she has to live on" (Mark 12:41-44).
I have not given 'being poor, everything I have to live on.' Have you? Like Jesus? Like the Macedonian believers? Like the widow?
"Lord please forgive me and forgive us for ways we have not been as generous as You have called us to be. You reveal, through the Apostle Paul, how giving and generosity is a matter of our hearts, which works out on a practical level. Your Spirit is able, willing, and wanting to reveal to each one of us just how generous Jesus has and is to us, and how generous You would have each one of us to be. The outward manifestation of this giving is not the point, however the heart of the matter is revealed in the outward manifestation. Speak to my heart Holy Spirit. Speak to our hearts Holy Spirit. Fill me, fill us Lord with greater faith and trust in You. Help us to be free...free to give. Thanks for loving us Lord, we love You."
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (vs 9).
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers about how generous other churches - groups of believers - had been in giving to 'in need' believers in Jerusalem. This encouragement/exhortation from Paul included pointing out that those who gave in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea gave beyond what was expected! What was expected in that they were in poverty themselves! Yet they gave sacrificially and with a desire to give! They weren't feeling guilty, they weren't giving to get in return, they weren't lording it over others...they gave out of their own need!
Paul also shared with the Corinthians that these churches, in a certain way, were following their Savior. Paul elaborates that out of God's grace (which is how the churches gave so generously out of what they didn't have), Jesus Christ became poor so that through His poverty, believers could become rich! It wasn't that Jesus while on earth in His humanity was necessarily poorer than most first century Palestinians - it was that Jesus left the riches of heaven and glory - He set aside His rights and privileges of being...God! - and came to earth. Came to earth to live among us. And believe me, the wealthiest person who has ever lived and will ever live on this earth is less than a grain of sand in all the earth privileged and with rights, compared to Jesus in Glory. Jesus did that so that believers, all who would receive Him, would be come rich - rich as to real life, rich as to eternity, rich as to have everything we need for life and Godliness.
If Jesus had not become poor, if He had not come - Corinthians, you and I would have been/be lost and undone. SO, for those in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessolinica, and Berea) to give sacrificially was a (super) natural act as being receptors of God's glorious grace and riches!
Have you ever given sacrificially? Out of what you didn't have? I haven't...I live frugally, simply, not seeking what Americans would consider luxurious, I don't spend money I don't have (by God's grace I don't have any debt...nor do I have great savings :)), and I get joy out of giving and being generous...as some might consider generous. BUT, I have not given as the Macedonian believers are recorded as highlighted by Paul. I have not given accordingly as the 'widows mite' - "but she, being poor as she is, has given everything she has to live on" (Mark 12:41-44).
I have not given 'being poor, everything I have to live on.' Have you? Like Jesus? Like the Macedonian believers? Like the widow?
"Lord please forgive me and forgive us for ways we have not been as generous as You have called us to be. You reveal, through the Apostle Paul, how giving and generosity is a matter of our hearts, which works out on a practical level. Your Spirit is able, willing, and wanting to reveal to each one of us just how generous Jesus has and is to us, and how generous You would have each one of us to be. The outward manifestation of this giving is not the point, however the heart of the matter is revealed in the outward manifestation. Speak to my heart Holy Spirit. Speak to our hearts Holy Spirit. Fill me, fill us Lord with greater faith and trust in You. Help us to be free...free to give. Thanks for loving us Lord, we love You."
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