BLUEPRINT FOR LIFE: Giving Back to God By Jake Sumner Have you ever fallen into the trap of thinking you are doing God a favor when you give to Him? It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking that everything we have is ours because we earned it. Whenever I find myself thinking this way, I am reminded of the words of Psalm 50: 7-13. 7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God. 8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? This passage makes it clear that everything already belongs to God. God does not need us to give Him anything. These verses point out how foolish it is for us to think that we could give something to God that He doesn’t already own. The truth is that He has done us immeasurably more favors for us than we could ever repay. Giving is the response of a thankful heart. Verses 14-15 gives us the following encouragement: 14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” God invites us to participate in the act of giving. This activity is a tangible reminder that everything belongs to the Lord. Our jobs, our assets, our families, and everything we try to hold onto are all firmly sitting in God’s hands already. Being reminded of this reality on a regular basis allows us to live grateful and generous lives. When we give, we remember what the Lord has already done in our lives and trust that He will continue to provide for us. How can you respond to God’s generosity today?
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:50:00 +0000
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