Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Ready to Give in the midst of Recession and Inflation

2 Corinthians 9:6-12
 

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Jesus humbled Himself and came to earth. He did this for us so we could receive the amazing gift of salvation. What an amazing gift Jesus has given for us. It is because of this gift that we give what we can. D.L Moody has said, “What makes the Dead Sea dead? Because it is all the time receiving, never giving out anything. Why is it that many Christians are cold? Because they are all the time receiving, never giving out anything.” Paul insists that no man was ever the loser because he was generous. Paul doesn’t just want our behavior to change; he wants our hearts to change. In order to achieve that kind of generosity, we have to fill our hearts with love of God. 

Give Cheerfully

God wants us to give at the intersection of generosity and joy. He wants us to be cheerful and he wants us to be obedient. Giving should be motivated by the purposes of our own heart. It should never be coerced or manipulated. True giving comes from a happy heart, and it also gives us a happy heart. Paul insists that it is the happy giver whom God loves.  God appreciates those who give voluntarily and generously and with a happy heart. Are we ready to give our life, time, talent, money and other valuables to others?

Living in the Sufficiency of God

God expects us to live in His sufficiency. God expects us to position ourselves so He can get us in the stream of His sufficiency—sufficiency means enough and more than enough. God is able to make all grace abound to us so that in all things at all times having all that we need we will abound in every good work.

Paul doesn’t end with our generosity. He ends with the generosity of Jesus. His generosity transforms us so that we become a generous people.

 
Prayer

Triune God, fill our hearts with Your divine love to become a cheerful giver. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We are encouraged to be generous and desire to be givers because 

(1) God loves a cheerful giver, 

(2) God will give us all sufficiency and will reap bountifully so we can continue to be generous and do good works, 

(3) God is thanked and glorified when we are generous, and 

(4) we are displaying the heart of the gospel when we are generous. 

 

Sam Rojin Oommen
Trinity Mar Thoma Church, Houston

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