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Giving is Like a Garden

Old Testament Reading: Numbers 26 & 27

Psalms Reading: Psalm 72

*New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 9

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?

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Give Careful Thought to Your Ways

Haggai 1 – 2

The book of Haggai records events that took place in 520 B.C. The foundation of the temple had been laid in 536 B.C. (Ezra 3:8-13), but building stopped because of opposition. In Haggai 1:2, we see that people were making excuses, “The time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built.” The people themselves were living in fine houses, but just hadn’t gotten around to building God’s temple. Their priorities were wrong.

God pointed out that He had been undermining the people’s prosperity because they hadn’t made God a priority. Haggai 1:6 tells us, “You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

Once confronted with this, the people obeyed God and began to work on the temple. The word of the Lord came to Haggai again in chapter 2, where God told Haggai in 2:9, “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house, says the Lord Almighty…”

Interesting. When Solomon’s temple was dedicated, fire fell from heaven to consume the offering, and God’s shekinah glory appeared so the priests couldn’t enter the temple. The ark of the covenant, the representation of God on earth had been there. But in this new temple, there was no ark of the covenant, no urim or thumim, no fire from heaven, no shekinah glory. So how would this new temple have greater glory than Solomon’s magnificent temple, you may ask. Here’s how: Over 500 years later, Jesus taught in this new Temple.

Further, God promised that starting on that very day, God was going to bless them because of putting one stone on another. In Haggai 2:19, we read, “From this day on I will bless you.” Because they were finally putting God first in their lives.

How are things going for you? Does it seem that you’re working harder and harder, but getting farther and farther behind? Does it seem like your wages go into purses with holes in them? Could it be that you have prioritized enjoying the good life for yourself, but haven’t made serving God the priority you should? Only you can answer these questions.

If this is true for you, I challenge you to rededicate your life to serving God wholeheartedly. He will certainly bless your commitment to Him. Maybe even materially. But ultimately, you will gain a far greater reward – eternal life.

I’m reminded of Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

May we each say that – and live it.

-Steve Mattison

Read or listen to today’s Bible reading passages at BibleGateway.com here – Haggai 1-2 and Revelation 14

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