In the Gospel of Luke Jesus is standing near the place in the Temple where people gave their offering. It is interesting he stood close enough to see what they put in the baskets. I often wonder if it would change what I put in if Jesus was sitting next to me and watching. Anyway, he saw a widow put in two small copper coins. It was not a big offering and yet it touched Jesus. He made her an example to his disciples of what really mattered to God. I have thought about that woman a lot. I wonder how her life went after that day. My guess is God found a way to let her know that what she had done pleased him. We started something a couple of weeks ago here at the church. We started a campaign to become debt free as a church. After the Saturday service this past week two women approached me. It was a woman with her mother. The mother could not speak English very well so the daughter helped her communicate to me. The mother pressed an envelop into my hand. The envelop was crammed with cash. It was $980.00. The daughter explained that it was all the money her mother had been saving for vacation. She wanted to give it for the debt reduction. She told me she wanted it to be an even thousand so she could bring me the other $20 next week. I was speechless. In my heart I wanted to push it back in her hand and add another grand and tell her to take her dream vacation. And then it hit me. If that is the way I felt, how did God feel right then. If what she did made my heart swell up with love for her then what was going on with the great heart of the universe. And when my heart swells there is no relief until I give. It is the same with your heart. And with God's heart. I can't wait to see what God is going to do for this woman who gave all she had saved. People have been telling stories about the woman at the Temple who gave two copper coins for more than twenty centuries. What stories will we be telling about this woman on Saturday night? What stories will anyone tell about you or about me? Oh God, make my heart swell with love toward you until the only way to find relief is to give and then let the love begin to flow between us stronger than ever before.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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4 comments:
When you follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit ....don't think about it, don't sit on it..... when he speaks move. This is the Spirit of God. Ask who is in control of your life me or God you will know in how you respond to his prompting for all things.
And do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing...
With so many in need of the love of Christ in so many different ways today, how can we miss a maybe one time opportunity where that door would never open again that we would later regret. God wants an overflowing Kingdom that is why Jesus shed his blood on the cross and our call is to be God's helpers sound familiar... the Holy Spirit was sent to us a helper.
Joe,
When I read about how folks rely on their faith that God is as good as His word I cannot help but remember relying on God to provide. On several occasions I wanted to make missions trips, One to S. Africa and another to Venezula. On the trip to SA I was shory a certain amount of money and I prayed the God would open or close door - It was His will. That very day a lady across the street called me and said my name was in one of those lists published when the state has fnds and cannot locate the owner. It turned out to be exactly the amount I was short! On the first Venezula trip I rook, we went as a family. I had NO idea where the funds would come from. Once again God provided. My company bonus that year was just enough to coner the trip expenses for all four of us.
God IS faithful and is just waiting for us to trust Him to provide. He always had and always will. Praise Him for that. His Grace is always sufficient!
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