“But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7
Today’s Christian Daily Devotional
Have you ever received a gift from someone who’s heart was not “in the giving”? There is nothing quite like that awkward tension (and inward compulsion of just throwing the gift in the giver’s face!–At least that is how I feel!) Imagine how God feels when we (as a church) grumble as we throw our “coffee money” into the offering as it passes. Our hearts are hoping that the person next to us notices our meager sacrifice; because, quite frankly, that is the only reason why we gave in the first place! If there would be no witness to our “generosity”, the offering plate would be thick with dust! How pitiful is our attitude towards a gracious and loving God. If God looks on the heart, you might as well save your Starbucks money, honey. He is not as impressed as your neighbor (who probably isn’t, either). When you put your money where your mouth is, and actually give with the right attitude, you are showing God you love Him more than just the blessings He has given you. You are showing Him that you are worshiping Him, by giving something that actually MEANS something to you. It does not matter what you give, but the heart in which you give it. Stop and take a moment to see how deep your love is. Does your love go as deep as your pockets, or does it just hit the surface of your mouth?
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing me with so much. The arrogance of feeling annoyed when the offering plate comes by shows the condition of my heart. It is selfish. I repent of that. I have been giving for all the shallow reasons: because I feel guilty, because I want to impress others, because I want you to bless me. What an ugly selfish heart this reveals! Can you change my heart? Help me to see that all my blessings come from you, and that I am blessed to give from that overflow. Lord, open my eyes to see the hurting suffering people that my money is going to be serving. Give me satisfaction in doing what pleases you, JUST BECAUSE it pleases you. Help me to forget my needs and give what you want me to give. I will expect you to meet my needs because that is what you want to do. Lord, by being selfish and stingy I have stopped my heart from feeling other’s pain and being empathetic to the suffering of others. This is the beginning of a cold heart, and that is not the kind of heart that reflects the love of God. In the name of Jesus, please bless me with a heart that longs to give as much as I long to breathe, eat and drink as that will keep my heart beating strong for the things that really matter in life; reaching out and touching other people. In Jesus’ name, bless me to be a blessing to others, Amen.”