Daily Reading: 29 June
(from www.christianaid.org.uk)
Generous undertaking
Something to read
Now as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you – so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
- 2 Corinthians 8:7 .
Something to think about
Recent hype from 'prosperity gospel' platforms has disengaged many from the theology of generosity.
In this text, Paul encourages us to be generous in all our material and spiritual undertakings. In other words, live open-handedly as opposed to tight-fistedly.
The tight-fisted limit themselves to what they can hold at any given time. The open-handed person will have the free flow of the blessings of the Lord always, because according to Scripture – the more we give is the more the Lord gives to us.
Scripture teaches us a principle: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for with the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’ (Luke 6:38)
When we understand and practice the lifestyle commended by Jesus as recorded in Acts 20:35, we too will testify that: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Are you a hoarder or a giver? In God’s economy, givers are the winners. The good news is that we can all be givers and winners because the measure is not so much on what we have, but on why we have. Giving actually propels us into new realms of kingdom life and our understanding of stewardship.
Something to do
Invite a Christian Aid speaker to a coffee morning, a Round Table meeting or a church event to speak about the gift of giving as in Romans 12:6-8.
Something to pray
God of abundance,
we pray in earnest
for the grace to give joyfully.
May we seek to lead by example
and provide opportunities
for our brothers and sisters to grow
in their understanding and practice
of the gift of giving
for the purposes of your kingdom.
Amen.
Today’s contributor is the Rev Phyllis Thompson, the Education Director for the New Testament Church of God-Leadership Training Centre.