Have you ever had an idea, or plans for something that you spent time putting together, but were not able to actually carry it out?
It might be because you don’t have the means, the talent, the time, but whatever the case, it can be disheartening, so I appreciate David’s example here on not being downtrodden about it but instead taking an opportunity to guide the nation and his son, directing them to serve God.
I also think it is pretty cool that despite David not being allowed to build the temple, we see an example of God’s Spirit working in David to come up with the plans. Just because he wasn’t allowed to build, didn’t mean that he wasn’t able to still do something for the LORD.
In this case, David wasn’t allowed to build because of being a warrior who had killed others, but it is also a reminder to me that there isn’t just one thing to do. God may call us differently or gift us differently to accomplish more things. God didn’t use David to build the temple because of David’s actions over the past. But in other cases, God is just using people in different ways – not because one thing is better than the other (thinking of Paul describing the body – each part needs the others to properly function), but because multiple things need to be done. We might sometimes feel saddened by being unable to do what we want, but that shouldn’t stop us from doing something. We are all able to serve, but that service might look different from how others serve depending on our skills, or physical abilities, or God-given direction.
And then as we continue reading, we see how things are generously donated to the building of the temple, and to keep us all in check, David offers this in 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.”
In a world/culture that is heavily focused on earning what we have, sometimes we need that reminder that the only reason we have is because God has given us things. And that can fill us with gratefulness and love and inspire us to give as well.
~Stephanie Fletcher
Reflection Questions
Is there a job that you have wished God would chose you for, but He has not? What can you learn from David? What other jobs do you think God IS asking you to do? In what ways are God’s plans better than ours?
What has God given to you that you can use to serve Him?
Our Psalm today was written by Solomon and he wrote: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1 ESV). What did Solomon learn from his dad? How can you apply these words to how you are building your house/life/family and how you are building/supporting/growing God’s house/church?
I would like to start off this post with a short introduction. My name is Ruth Finnegan and I am married to Sean Finnegan and we have four sons, who range from age 11 to 1 month old. It is my joy and pleasure to be a stay-at-home mom! When Sean and I first got married we had a lot of discussion about “how are we going to be.” We decided to set a few tenets or standards for our life together. These were: seek righteousness; don’t be cheap, tip generously, only use good toilet paper, and be given to hospitality. Recently, I went to the store to stock up on toilet paper and they were out of our usual brand. I bought a cheap package to tide us over until I could go to the store again. Oh man! Mistake!! Sean started declaring, “Have we lost all of our principles?? What is this, sandpaper?! Should we stop tipping too?” I burst out laughing when he said this because I was instantly brought back to that conversation early on in our marriage. I went out and bought good toilet paper for the house and got rid of the cheap stuff.
Sean and I have been married for almost 14 years and we have always been passionate about being given to hospitality (Romans 12:10). Over the years, we have had many people come stay with us. Some come for just a night and some for many months. We feel that God has given us much and blessed us abundantly and that it is our joy to bless others with our home (and with our good toilet paper). I have found that you discover a lot about people when they stay with you in your home. I thought about this as I read Acts 20:17-38.
When Paul was in Ephesus, his mission was certain. He served and lived among the people, he kept back nothing, teaching them “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Paul was a true shepherd who cared for his flock and was very clear about his purpose. He made sure that he was not a burden. He took care of himself and those with him and he used every opportunity to teach and shepherd the flock there. He truly cared for people and genuinely wanted the believers to be protected from the wolves that were sure to come. Paul knew he had to leave and wouldn’t see them again. He implored them with these final words:
35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
And with that, he knelt down with them and prayed for them. When Paul left, they did not breathe a sigh of relief because he had inconvenienced them. No, they had deep sorrow in their heart because he had been a blessing to them.
We have had people stay with us that were all about what they needed or being served so when their time of departure came, we were thankful! We have also had the pleasure of having guests that infused our home with light and eternal blessings! They had eyes to see and wanted to be a blessing and help. When we go about our lives and come into contact with others, let’s strive to be like Paul. He was all about teaching the eternal things of life like the Kingdom of God. He was not a burden but a blessing to the believers and sincerely cared for them. He didn’t complain about his lot as a missionary, he was driven by the holy spirit even when it came to his own discomfort and sacrifice. Let’s strive to encourage others and remember it is more blessed to give than to receive!
-Ruth Finnegan
(Originally posted for SeekGrowLove on June 10, 2017 – today, Ruth and Sean’s boys are much older and taller. But I bet the whole family still enjoys using, and giving, the good toilet paper.)
Reflection Questions
How would you describe how Paul gave? What was he giving?
When have you found it to be true that, “It is more blessed to give than to receive?” What has been your favorite thing to give?
Where are you challenged to give more freely? What will you give this week? How?
Yesterday I touched on how one remedy for financial insecurity is to look to the future promises of prosperity for those who put their faith in the LORD. Our understanding of this future is to be the Kingdom of God. Psalms 37 also talks about how God helps his people in the here and now. We saw this briefly at the end of Acts 4. Today, we are going to discuss generous givers.
The church can be a very generous place. The example of pooling resources and caring for each other is set for us by the early church. It is discussed also in Psalm 37: “The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers” (verse 21 NLT). Having grown up in the church, I have heard many many stories of how God uses generous givers to care for and look after His people. I have been the recipient of such generosity several times in my life. Just last week, my sister-in-law surprised me by sending me money for my expensive prescription. We were at a birthday party and I was telling her of all the craziness it had been trying to track down this medication at a price I could attempt to afford. As we left the party, I looked at my phone and saw a notification. She had sent me the exact price for the prescription. I insisted she did not have to do that. She said “I know, but I felt like I should.” She felt God nudging her, and listened to the call. I have also tried, with my limited resources, to be generous to others. For example, before inflation got crazy and my dog got fat–needing a pricey special diet, I used to save $10 of every paycheck to give to my younger sister in college.
My grandparents, Scott and Gayle Ross, are the two most generous people I know. Psalms 37:26 reminds me of them: “The godly give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.” My grandparents are generous with more than just money, but their time, wisdom, love, home, and coffee. One Saturday morning I was dropping my dog off to stay with them as I had a long day of dance classes to teach. I remember frantically calling them to ask if they could prepare a to-go cup of coffee as I hadn’t time to make or get any before class. I rushed into their house, dropped off my dog, grabbed the coffee and hugged them both saying if there was one thing I can count on my grandparents for, it’s free coffee and free babysitting. Many times have my grandparents also been on the receiving end of generous givers. It is an endless beautiful cycle of generosity God has set for his people.
The generosity in Psalms 37 contrasts dramatically with the story of Ananias and Sapphira we read in Acts 5. It is important to note what Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was. This story is not meant to scare people into giving money to the church. Peter states, “The property was yours to sell or not to sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away.” (verse 4 NLT). Ananais and Sapphira’s sin was that they lied about how much money they were giving. The pair tried to elevate themselves and produce their own reward by gaining status in the church for being generous givers while still retaining some wealth. This is the opposite of what is described in Psalms 37:37, “Look at those who are honest and good for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.” It was not a lack of giving that caused God’s wrath on Ananias and Sapphira, but a lack of honesty.
Not everyone all the time can afford to be generous givers monetarily, but there are always ways we can be generous with each other. This could be donating our time and talents to the church, which we will look at more tomorrow. For now, I encourage you to reflect on the generous givers in your life, thank God for them, and ask God if there are ways in which you can be generous to others.
Special Note on Leviticus 2: In the instructions for grain offering it is listed that the bread be made without yeast. While this could be symbolic of the first passover, when the Israelites had to leave Egypt quickly and did not have time to put yeast in their bread, there is also a practical reason to leave out yeast. A bread that does not have yeast will last longer. Leviticus 2:10 explains how the remaining grain offering will be given to the priests as their food. Making this bread without yeast preserves it longer for the priests to consume. That is also why in Leviticus 2:13 God instructs his people to never leave salt from a grain offering, as salt is a preservative. The priests did not have regular jobs or land to farm. Their source of food came from the portion of the people’s offerings God allowed. In God’s infinite wisdom he instructs these offerings only be made in a way that ensures quality. How cool is that!
-Emilee Ross
Reflection Questions
Who are some of the most generous people in your life? How have you seen them give? How can you thank them for their generosity?
When did you generously give? How did it feel?
What do you have to give right now? Who would you like to give to?
Gold and goat hair. Silver and sea cow hides. Bronze metal and blue yarn. Onyx stones and olive oil. These all were great offerings to do the work of God. These were just some of the precious, as well as the more common, everyday items that were brought as offerings to create the very first tabernacle.
God had given Moses some very specific plans for what He wanted for His tabernacle including the furnishings and priestly garments. The creative Creator who designed heaven and earth and fashioned all sorts of lands, plants, fish, birds, animals and unique human beings was now showing His flair for architecture (albeit tent-like architecture that would travel well), interior decorating (including specific dimensions, materials and details for the furnishings and surfaces), and even fashion designing (of the stunning priestly wardrobe).
God gave the precise plans – and He also gave His Spirit. God gave His Spirit to fill these craftsmen (Bezalel, Oholiab and other skilled persons) with skill, ability and knowledge so they would know how to create His masterpieces in gold, silver, bronze, stones, wood and “all kinds of artistic craftsmanship” (Exodus 35:33). And the Bible records that God also gave both Bezalel and Oholiab the ability to teach others these skills. What a creative and masterful and wise Spirit of God, which God still gives today! Have you received any of His crafty, skilled Spirit? If so, how are you using it to do His work? Are you able to teach others what God has given you? How can teaching others your skills and abilities further God’s work?
God gave the plans and His Spirit with the skills, it was up to the people to give the resources. ”All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.” (Exodus 35:29) These offerings were not required (as other offerings were), but these were voluntary offerings. ”Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work.” (Exodus 35:21) And they did give! They donated their gold jewelry to the cause. Those who had acacia wood, bronze, spices and oil gave what they had. The skilled willing women got to work spinning the colorful yarn, linen and goat hair. There was no gift too large and no gift too small. It was all given with a willing heart and would be used for the Lord’s work. They even gave and gave until they were told to stop because they had given more than enough to complete the sanctuary.
I am not sure your church would find a good use for your donated goat hair today…um, wait, correction, my quick internet search just now revealed several common uses for goat hair including paintbrushes, rugs, carpet, and even Mohair or cashmere (different from rabbit cashmere) to be used in making sweaters or even fine pants for your pastor. So, go ahead keep collecting your goat hair for God, if that is what you have and your willing heart is telling you to give it to Lord’s work.
And also consider, what do you have, or could you acquire with what you have, to provide for God’s work today. I’m guessing God’s not planning on building a tabernacle in your backyard, but do not doubt He has many, many plans that you can be an exciting part of with your participation and your offerings. What is your church doing that you can be a part of, contributing your time, talents and what you have to a larger extent than ever before? Could the children’s ministry use new crayons or is the kitchen running out of coffee cups? Would a tray of cookies be useful after church or could you help provide a spring cleaning spruce-up? What needs can you provide? Do you have a crafty skill to create a piece of artwork or functional thing of beauty (furniture or banner or blanket) for God’s church or even for His work outside of the church (perhaps a donation for a non-profit organization). Where is God’s work around the world in need of what you have? Sometimes the need is as simple as highlighters, glasses, or flat frisbees. Sometimes it’s Bibles, bikes and fertilizer. Sometimes it’s larger, like a church building – a new tabernacle. What do you have (given to you by God), that He would love to see you use to further His work with one of your neighbors in need – your means of transportation, your coffeepot, you sharing a skill?
What is your heart moving you to offer to God’s work? Consider both your valuable and precious resources as well as your common and everyday items? What gold and goat hair will you offer to God with a willing heart?
-Marcia Railton
Reflection & APplication
What do you have (or have the means to acquire) that could be used to do the work of the Lord? How is your heart moving you to give offerings to the Lord’s work?
Remember how we recently read in Matthew 5 to SHINE – “before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:16). And, then we get to Matthew 6 which begins, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matt 6:1). One says do your good deeds before men while the other specifically says don’t do your acts of righteousness before men. Is there a contradiction there? I want to follow Jesus, I do – but sometimes…I am not exactly sure what it should look like. But, over and over again I find I am the one that needs to grow in my understanding and action. So, let’s dig a little deeper and see what we’ve got here.
In our SeekGrowLove Bible reading plan last year we focused on looking at what we can learn about God or what He reveals about Himself every time we read His words. I learned a lot. I had a great year journaling and marking in my Bible margin little asterisks when I read descriptions of God, what He’s like and what He likes, what He is doing and will do. In the gospels it is extra fun to find all the descriptions of God given to us by one who knows Him so well – His Son Jesus. I have found it can be very valuable to read God’s word not as a checklist of do’s and don’ts but as a search for more and more about our Heavenly Father.
These first 18 verses in Matthew 6 on giving, praying and fasting seems at first to be primarily a lot of direction on what we should be doing – and sometimes what we should not be doing. But, upon looking closer – there are quite a few asterisks in my margins. God, specifically called ‘Your Father’, shows up, again and again. Twice He is referred to as unseen – perhaps in contrast to the Pharisees and religious leaders who enjoyed making themselves very well seen, and perhaps just as a reminder we all need – God is here – don’t be fooled at just concerning yourself with what you can see with your eyes. He is unseen and very real.
In each of the three sections on giving, prayer and fasting Jesus states, “your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” So, even though He is unseen, He sees. There are no secrets we can keep from God. He sees it all. And when He sees what He likes – giving in secret to the needy, one-on-one prayer with Him, and fasting in secret – he will reward us. He is real, He sees and He rewards, when we do it right.
So, what is the wrong way to give, pray and fast? They all seem like good deeds to do – should we shine while doing them? Jesus answers that question – give, pray and fast, but don’t do them, “before men to be seen by them.” When we are putting on a holy show to let others know how good we are – that is when God says, “I got nothing for you – you already received your praise from men. You weren’t really looking for My praise anyways. You wanted to look better than the rest. Your pride was lifting yourself up. You weren’t pointing people to a Me. You were just plain showing off and trying to create a name for yourself.” (This was also what the Tower of Babel folks got in trouble for in our Old Testament reading of Genesis 11 today – trying to make a name for themselves).
So, it becomes another heart issue where motive and manner is extremely important. What is your motivation to give, pray or fast? Do you have selfish reasons and are motivated by looking good? Do you do it in a manner to get the most attention and eyes on you? Just remember, God sees, too, and He ain’t happy. Those acts of righteousness were supposed to come from a pure and sincere heart seeking ways to thank, honor and draw closer to your Father in heaven. But you took that sacred interchange between yourself and Him and cheapened it by broadcasting it before men.
But what about those good deeds that we ARE supposed to do before men SO THAT God is praised? It seems the “good deeds” category is different and perhaps broader than the “acts of righteousness” we just discussed. While the acts of righteousness were things we do for and with God (and most appropriately in secret), the good deeds are what we can do for and with others. Motive is still really important. No one (least of all, your Father) wants to see your good deeds that are only done to bring praise to yourself. How do we do good deeds that others will see, and when they do see, they will praise our Father in heaven? Perhaps (like always) the best answer and example is seen in Jesus. As we read through the rest of Matthew let’s look for what he does in secret with and for His Father and what he does before men to bring praise to His Father. What are his acts of righteousness and what are his good deeds? Can we tell what his audience and motives are in each?
-Marcia Railton
Reflection Questions
How are you doing with your acts of righteousness? Do you think God sees and is pleased? What motivates your acts of righteousness – where is your heart? What would you like to do better – for Him?
In Matthew 6:8 what do we learn about your Father? How is this reassuring to you? How can knowing this affect your prayers? What do you learn from Jesus’ model prayer in verses 9-13?
In Matthew 6:14 & 15 what do we learn about your Father and forgiveness? Why is this so important? Is there someone you need to forgive today?
Who is the greatest? The GOAT (is that still a thing)? This is what the disciples come to Jesus asking at the beginning of Matthew 18.
Jesus doesn’t answer them directly, per usual. Their question isn’t even worth answering. It doesn’t matter who is the greatest. That comes with the wrong focus. Instead Jesus tells them:
3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Your position is not important. Rather, not viewing yourself as the greatest will put yourself in a better, more humble position.
There are several parables in this chapter, and I think you could probably tie them all to humility in some way, but I want to look at the last section. It starts with:
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
That is going to require humility. When someone sins against us, we probably feel we are in the right to be angry or to hold a grudge. After all, they sinned against me. But Jesus’ instructions don’t allow for this kind of pride. Instead, we are to go on forgiving our fellow Christians time and time again, swallowing our pride, pushing it aside, for the sake of forgiveness.
We might think this is unfair, but through the parable Jesus tells of the unmerciful servant, we can see that God forgives us so much! For us to accept God’s forgiveness for our own sins, but to hold another’s sins against them is prideful. It is saying that you deserve forgiveness more than them, or that your sins weren’t as great.
Instead, Jesus wants us to humble ourselves, to admit that we are just as low, or even lower, than others and offer the grace to others that we have been given.
Humility is a topic that has come up often in my discussions and readings the last few months. It is hard – it is against our human nature. But I really believe it is one of the most important things for us to focus on. And likely, it isn’t a one-time thing. We need to constantly be reminded and refocus on humility to make sure that pridefulness doesn’t seep into our lives, because pride does come naturally. But humility is key. It is key to forgiveness, to serving others, to spreading the gospel. Your message will be better received if it comes from a place of humility rather than pride.
~Stephanie Fletcher
Reflection Questions
What does pride look like? What does humility look like? Why do you think Jesus teaches humility? Which type of person do you prefer to be around?
When and how does pridefulness seep into your life? What has helped you remember and practice humility?
We have all heard the story about Jesus feeding the 5 thousand, and what Jesus can do with our little. But what happened prior to these events?
In Matthew 14: 1-12, we are told of the moment that Herod decided to behead John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, and close friend. In Matthew 14:13-14 we are shown the reaction of Jesus when he gets the news.
Matthew 14:13-14
“When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick.”
This is an incredible image of who Jesus was. Think of a time in your life when all you wanted was some time alone. You have been through a lot and are trying to grieve and yet there are people who want to talk and need your help. What was your reaction?
Were you irritated, did you yell, maybe you said something you wish you hadn’t? We have all been to that place. We are all human. There have been times I have done the same thing, especially in the recent times with trying to find a job and being patient, as I wait for God to open the door. It has been easy to lose my temper with the people around me, or to be distant from them.
Jesus in this passage, is calling us to have compassion even in our grief and sorrow. Have compassion on people and show them the love of God. Even when we are burnt out and only have a little to give. Even that little, when given to others, has the power to change everything. Jesus took the little bread they had and gave it to God in faith and was able to feed everyone there! Our little strength makes a huge difference.
After this incredible miracle, seeing Jesus do these amazing things, the disciples get into a boat and make their way to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the night during a storm, they witness Jesus walking towards them on the water. The disciples in fear believe it is a ghost, but Peter says, if it is you Lord, command me to come to you on the water. Jesus says, “Come.”
Peter begins walking on the water in courage and faith, but fear sets in and he begins to sink as he notices the wind and waves.
Jesus then says as he pulls Peter from the water. “You of little Faith. WHY DID YOU DOUBT?” Jesus says this with love. Peter only had a little faith and was willing to get out and take the chance to walk.
We are called to do the same. When we are burnt out and feel empty. We are called to bring the little faith we have and walk with Jesus. Sometimes the waves in life are tall, and the wind roars in our ears. But Jesus says, “Walk with me.” In other words, “Bring all you have to serve others,” as we are called.
As I write this, I think of the times in life that I feel burnt out, even at my young age. Life is HARD. But even during those times, it brings me hope to see others who have went before me. They continue to serve and give of themselves even in their challenging times. It is amazing to see what God does even through our grief. God uses our biggest trials to make the biggest differences in our lives, and the lives of people around us. He does this with the little we have to give.
Reflection Questions
In times of testing and grief, do we give up or keep on looking for needs of others?
Are we feeding ourselves spiritually to strengthen our faith, so we don’t sink like Peter did?
When Abraham (still Abram at the time) was called by God to set off for unknown lands, to seek adventure in going to the place that God would show him, we see that God not only tells him what he is doing, but WHY he is doing it. Genesis 12:1-3 reads this way :
“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””
So that you will be a blessing.
In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Interesting, isn’t it? Abraham is blessed to be a blessing. When we use that terminology, blessed to be a blessing, we begin to understand that is what happened with every person God used.
God blessed Abraham with a family so that there will be those who follow God.
He blessed Moses with the Law so that that Israel might walk in his ways.
And he blessed the prophets with his Word so that the people could be drawn back to God.
Again he blessed the Kings with success so that there might be peace.
Ultimately, he blessed Jesus with his Spirit so that the world might be saved.
But don’t hear Abraham, Moses, Prophets, Kings, and Jesus and think these blessing are out of your reach!
In the time of Paul, Jerusalem was undergoing a severe famine and the church in Jerusalem were rather poor. In contrast, Corinth would have been an extravagantly wealthy region ; a port city with a major trading lane would cause riches to flow in. Paul, in his missionary journeys, encourages the Gentile churches to share in the needs of the poor in Jerusalem. Paul encourages the Corinthians to give generously and cheerfully. He lets them know that they “will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.” Blessed to be a blessing.
Often, human look at life as a zero-sum game: if I give what I have to someone else, then I lose and they win. But Paul reminds the Corinthians that this world is not a battle of wealth between the haves and the have-nots. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) If God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), do you think he is unable to meet your needs, even when you give “until it pinches a little.” C. S. Lewis speaks about the amount one “ought” to give and he writes “I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.” We might be afraid to give generously, but only in giving generously will we receive generously, just like the farmer can only reap bountifully when he sows bountifully.
I want to be very clear : when Jesus prayed for his care from the Father, he asked for bread (“daily bread”) and water, rather than steak and Starbucks. This is not a lack of the provision of God, but the reality that giving extravagantly and full of joy does not mean that we will receive a sudden windfall, or be able to buy the nice car. God is not concerned with your riches or wealth in this life but with your obedience. God promises to care for your needs, not necessarily your wants. Obedience does produce something infinitely valuable though : the ability to do more good. ”So that you may abound in every good work.” “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.” Your generosity will “produce thanksgiving to God… overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” And we have seen how important thanksgiving is. In fact, that is what Paul ends this encouragement to give with, thanksgiving!
We see that God wants us to give cheerfully and generously, and he will continue to bless us to be a blessing. Our giving is done because we know that every blessing given is already a gift, and everything we own belongs to the God who owns everything. As we give, we can remember that God has already given the greatest gift of all, and our generosity can and will result in thanksgiving to God for his inexpressible gift!
-Jake Ballard
Questions and Application
“Blessed to be a blessing.” : Have you thought about how this description defined so much of the interaction of God’s people with the world? What are some of the blessings you have been thanking God for this week? How can you use those blessings to bless the world around you?
“Trusting God with Generosity” : Lewis’ call to give more than we can spare requires that we trust that God will meet our needs even when budgets seem to say we can’t. Not everyone is called to sell everything they have and give to the poor, but some were (and maybe are). How much is the right amount to give for you? Who around you needs to be blessed?
“Supplying the needs of the saints” : I have tried to be very clear that Paul was talking about giving money. We should give money to make sure we meet the needs of those around us who lack funds. There are three important points to remember. First, if we are young and don’t have a job, it is very hard to give money. A way to help is to give what you can ; your time or your talents, for example. Second, however, if you give of your time and talents, that doesn’t excuse you from giving money if you can. You should be willing to give everything to God, time, talent and treasure (money). Third, and the opposite of the last points, if you give money to a ministry, that is not a substitute for volunteering your time and abilities. All three, the time you are given, the talents (abilities) you have and the treasure (money) you own, are blessings from God, and are given so you can bless others.
First Chronicles 28 and 29 relates the end of David’s time as king. Mostly it discusses an assembly where David laid out responsibilities his son Solomon would have for building God a temple and encouraged the people to join in that work with him. By gathering that assembly David was also making it clear that Solomon was the chosen heir – chosen by God. The line of succession had been contested before, and David called on all present to commit their loyalty to both God and Solomon (28:5; 29:24).
David had desired to build God a dwelling place but was denied that role because he had shed blood. Joyfully for David, the time when he learned of his rejection was paired with learning about the promise of a special covenant with God. In the years that followed David stockpiled resources in preparation for the Temple to be constructed by his promised son. In 22:14 we read of huge amounts of gold and silver David stored up. In 29:4 we are told of additional sums he provided near the end of his reign. That was followed by him encouraging the people to offer their own commitments (6-9). They gave tons of gold and silver and brass and iron, along with precious stones. And “the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and king David also rejoiced greatly.” (9). As David had said, this was not a temple “for man, but for the Lord God” and they were able to rejoice in the idea of giving to the project (1).
I read some years ago about a study in which people of varying incomes were asked what they considered would be enough money for them to be content. There was a remarkable similarity in the answers given to the researchers, from those who made fairly little, on through those who made far more. People tended to want 15% more income than they currently had. Knowing this, of course, we can guess that very few people whose income increases become content – instead they adjust to their new circumstances and change their target for “contentment.” Of course we are not to view the world in that way, though we can all too easily become caught up in the distractions of worldly thinking. If we are seeking to store up for ourselves treasure in heaven, rather than on earth, we are less susceptible to such errors.
I find it a matter of joy that the people of Israel in David’s time chose to join in setting up the Temple. They could have hesitated to give, and left matters to David and Solomon. They could have suggested that the vast amounts David had already collected would be enough for the task. (To try to put some numbers to this, we are told in 22:14 that David had collected 100,000 talents of gold. One calculation puts a talent at about 75 pounds, which would mean David had collected about 3,000 tons of gold. By a useful coincidence it is estimated that 750,000 pounds of gold were collected during the California Gold Rush, so a tenth of what David had gathered.) But the people still wanted to be involved with honoring God by contributing from their own wealth, which had itself come from God’s blessings (29:14, 16).
(I find it interesting, as well, how God’s intentions may have been set up across the generations. David being a man of war could tie in with the extent of the nation’s wealth and how he prepared the way for Solomon. David was not accepted to build God a Temple, but he was freed to go forward in fighting against the enemies of God’s people and to help prepare a time of peace for Solomon. At the same time David’s victories brought in wealth that would enable the Temple to be funded to an incredible degree.)
While David thought of the promises he had received in terms of Solomon, and prepared for his reign, we recognize a greater fulfillment in terms of another son, Jesus. Even in the text of these chapters there are hints at that, statements that “if” Solomon will serve God “with a whole heart” his descendants will continue to possess the land forever (28:8, 9). That kind of obedience was not available from Solomon, or any of the kings in David’s line who lived in Old Testament times. So while Solomon was able to fulfill the prophecy in one sense, building a house for God, it was destroyed after only a few hundred years. Another house waited to be built by a son yet to come.
Lord, please help me not to be caught up in material concerns to the detriment of spiritual calls. Please let me have my daily bread so that I will not be distracted by wants, but please help me not let desires for more than I actually need get in the way of things that truly matter, like other people, and worshipping you. Help me to recognize how truly kind you are to me, and to give you credit and praise for your blessings to me and my family. Help me be willing to go out of my way for things that are important to you. Thank you for your care, Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
David and Solomon approached worship very grandly, perhaps more so than anyone today. What lessons might we be meant to take from the stories of the Temple?
It may seem like an absurd amount of gold and silver was collected for use with the Temple construction, and we aren’t sure how all of it was used, but what impression do you think it would give to worship at a Temple where the walls were coated with gold? What if you knew that you, or your ancestor, contributed to building that Temple?
Do you think it is harder to see yourself as receiving blessings from God when your income is from wages instead of through farming or spoils of battle?
Giving generously is like sowing seeds in a garden. Just as a farmer must plant a plentiful amount of seeds to reap a bountiful harvest, Christians must give generously to receive God’s blessings. In 2nd Corinthians 9, Paul emphasizes the importance of giving with a willing heart, not out of compulsion or obligation. When we give with a cheerful heart, it is like planting our seeds in rich soil, knowing that they will grow into a plentiful harvest.
Furthermore, just as a garden requires consistent care and attention, our giving requires consistent effort and a dedication to meeting the needs of others. Paul reminds us that our giving is not only an act of obedience to God but also a way to meet the needs of others. When we give generously, we are like gardeners tending to our plants, making sure they have enough water, sunlight, and nutrients to thrive. Our giving provides the necessary resources for those in need to grow and flourish.
Like a garden, our giving should also be done with a spirit of thanksgiving and praise. When we give with a joyful heart, we are like flowers blooming in the sun, displaying their vibrant colors and beauty. Giving generously not only blesses those in need but also brings glory and honor to God. It is like a garden bursting with life and color, a testament to the abundance of God’s grace and provision.
Finally, just as a garden produces a bountiful harvest, our giving produces a harvest of righteousness. When we give generously and joyfully, we are like farmers reaping a plentiful harvest, knowing that God’s blessings will overflow in our lives. Our giving is a tangible way to demonstrate our faith and commitment to following Christ’s example of selflessness and generosity.
In conclusion, 2nd Corinthians 9 teaches us that giving generously is like sowing seeds in a garden. Just as a garden requires consistent care and attention, our giving requires consistent effort and a dedication to meeting the needs of others. When we give with a cheerful heart, it is like planting our seeds in rich soil, knowing that they will grow into a plentiful harvest. May we be inspired by the simile of the garden to give generously and joyfully, trusting in God’s abundant provision and blessings.
-Austin Kizer
Questions for Reflection
How can you cultivate a heart of generosity and joy in your giving?
In what ways have you seen God bless your giving, whether it be in material provision or in the transformation of lives?
What steps can you take to consistently care for and tend to the needs of those around you?
What has God revealed about Himself in your Bible reading today?
Seek Grow Love 