Guidance On Giving - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Corinthians 9:7,

"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."

Here is what I find to be the best counsel on financial giving within the church. While this was directed by Paul to the Corinthian believers for a specific purpose (to provide aid for poverty stricken Jewish believers in Jerusalem), the principle is one that, to me, has lasting guidance.

While many church organizations look to the tithe in the Mosaic law for the funding for the temple, the priests that worked there and its activities, this seems to me to be a much better source of guidance for the believer when it comes to giving.

It is based on a couple of realities that should reside in all believers. The first is our desire to please the Lord. "God loves a cheerful giver." We express our worship and adoration for our loving heavenly Father through giving back to him a portion of what he has blessed us with. Secondly, due to the indwelling Holy Spirit, our love for others finds its expression in our contributing toward various ministries within the church that require funding. Whether it is materials for evangelism, feeding the poor, providing assistance to pregnancy crisis centers (and the fight to save the lives of the yet-to-be-born), the maintenance of a facility for worship where needed, etc.

Each of us should give what we have decided in our own hearts to give, and then reflect on what that gift expresses to God and others.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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