“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.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Welcome to the 46th weekly devotional recap of the year. This week, we learnt about giving as an expression of love and worship.
We started the week with a reminder that we give to God not to earn His blessings but as a response to His love and kindness (James 1:17). Generosity is an act of love and worship, recognising God as the source of all we have. While giving is a natural response to a transformed life, God desires it to come freely from the heart, not out of compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7).
On Tuesday, we learnt that as believers, our resources can play a part in contributing to the work of ministry through our local churches. It is a privilege to participate in and contribute to the work the Lord has committed to us (Matthew 28:19-20), and giving to your local assembly demonstrates that you value and prioritise their work in reaching men with the gospel’s message. Determine to partner with your local church to see the work prosper.
Wednesday’s article taught us that God’s servants who labour among us for our progress and joy in the faith should be honoured with material gifts (1 Timothy 5:17). As we see in numerous examples in the Bible, it was common practice to honour God’s servants with gifts, as this shows that we recognise, value and appreciate the work they do (Numbers 18:21-32, 1 Samuel 9:7). It is God’s will that the sheep give to the shepherd.
On Thursday, we saw that God is deeply compassionate about the less privileged and calls us to do the same (Matthew 25:35-40). From the time of the Old Testament, caring for the poor was woven into the fabric of God’s covenant (Leviticus 19:9-10, Acts 4:34-35, Acts 2:10). Jesus reached out to those who society overlooked, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and uplifted the marginalised. Caring for the poor is an expression of a heart that honours God (Proverbs 14:31).
We ended the week with a reminder to not neglect our responsibility to our families under the guise of religious or charitable duties. Our first financial obligation after meeting our basic needs should be to our family, and doing otherwise contradicts God’s character (Matthew 15:4-6). The family is the foundational unit of society, and nurturing it is one way to enable the next generation to live well and do more for God and His work (Proverbs 13:22).
Dear believer, yield to the love of God within you and give freely, joyfully, and purposefully—just as you have received abundantly from Him.
Have a great weekend!
Bible Reading Plan Catchup