Saturday April 21, 2012

Read Deuteronomy 12:19-32

 

As Jesus stood in the temple He watched the people putting their money into the treasury. Some rich people put in huge amounts. Others put in average amounts. The disciples, watching with Jesus, may have stood in awe at some of the large amounts put in by a few individuals. But Jesus ignored them. He drew the disciples’ attention to a woman - a poor old women, dressed in rags that people had ignored for decades. She had become a part of the Temple furniture. This woman put in two small copper coins into the treasury. The amount was so small that we would be embarrassed to give it to our kids as pocket money.  And yet Jesus commended this woman, not the rich givers, because she had put in all she had to live on. This woman modelled generosity that flows out of a heart in love for God.

 

As we read today’s verses we may be tempted to adopt a spirit of liberalism or a ‘do as you please’ mentality. But that is not the point. God is showing the Israelites that there is freedom in giving and offering sacrifices. There are freedoms we can utilise but they are not a license to do as we please. God’s generosity and grace should never be taken as a license to do as we please.

 

The passage focuses around and draws attention to command not to eat blood. Interestingly, the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 upheld this command. But looking beyond that issue, it shows us that even with God given freedoms, some things are still black and white. We must never presume to add to or take away from the commands that God has given us, whether about worship or some other aspect of our lives.  God sets  the boundaries, we do not!

 

Worship and giving is a matter of the heart, not of the wallet. We give out of our wallets but we really give with our heart. God is far more pleased with joyful giving than giving with a begrudging heart. Before you give this weekend at church, recapture the love and passion of the Lord. Fall in love with God all over again. Rediscover the wonder of dwelling in His grace and mercy. Stand in awe of God once again and then, only then, open your wallet and give to the Lord.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that you and your congregation would be an exceedingly generous congregation. Pray that God’s love and grace and mercy would fill our hearts and flow out into our giving, our singing, our praises and our prayers and even our relationships.

¥ Pray that the churches in the financially blessed West would be so generous that we might be able to support the churches in poorer nations that have so little yet need pastors and trained staff to deal with the thousands coming to faith each month. Pray that a redistribution of funds would willingly and joyously occur.