Good day dear friends.
We continue to affirm that we cannot outgive God! Here is our study guide: Thursday: In Mark 12:41-44 we find a familiar story of one poor soul and her worship of God in a setting that would have humiliated most of us. Read that story and let it speak to you of what this soul felt as she worshiped God on that day. Why are you different from this woman? What holds you back from giving unto the Lord as you know you should? Is it fear about tomorrow? What you will leave to your children? What arrangements have you made to leave a spiritual legacy to not only your family, but your church family as well?
Here is that passage from Mark 12:41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
We may have heard some in some churches say, "When we give today, be sure not to make too much noise!" meaning that the speaker wanted folks to place bills of all denominatinos in the plate rather than coins. In Jesus' day, the treasury outside the Temple was a receptacle made of brass that allowed for the money of the day, coins only, to make loud noise. The greater the offering the louder the noise. Jesus is watching a crowd including some rich people put in some large sums. What a noise they must have made! But here comes a widow, a woman whose husband had died, and in those days more than likely the only source of income for her, and she places in two small copper coins, which together are worth about a penny. In our daily use, the penny is usually that brown coin in a cup or holder next to the cash register in most stores, that is used only when the amount being charged needs a cent or so. The talk had been recently that we as a nation spend more money on minting pennies than the one cent that it's worth, so why even mint pennies any longer? The value of a penny has greatly diminished in our society.
But in Jesus' day, this gift represented all the poor woman had. This was her whole life. It is like the story of the widow visited by the prophet Elijah, who was gathering wood for what she believed to be her last meal. Such was the plight of the widow in biblical times. So, this offering was blessed for its act of faith in God. The woman loved God so much that she placed her life in God's hands. I know in my heart that this woman did not suffer as a result of her faith. Great is her place in the kingdom of God!
Yet, we who are in spiritual doubt or in a spiritual fight with God, find that we cannot bring ourselves to trust God enough to give as we should. God cannot be in first place in our lives because our faith and trust in God is not sufficient yet to put our whole lives in God's hands. This morning a dear brother shared a story about a pastor who told a church member who came for prayer about giving, to give the tithe and to bring those bills left over at the end of the 90% and that he, the pastor would pay them. The member did. The pastor asked, "How can you trust God for the salvation of your soul and yet you don't trust God with financial matters?"
How do you live your life? Trusting God with every aspect of your life, or just in some areas? Don't you feel God calling you to faithfulness in full?
PRAYER: Come, loving God into all areas of my life. I trust You with my soul, and I've trusted You to bring me all that I have, let me give as I should. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
