2 Corinthians 8:1-5
If there is any topic in the bible that has been really abused is that of giving. Abused in the sense that Christians are really not taught the essence of giving without strings attached. This is because the only emphasis is on giving even if one’s relationship with God is wanting.
May be it is time we really re-evaluate and critic these kind of teaching. Is it really about giving even if there is no relationship with God or its about both giving and relationship. The starting point is to consider or compare how the Jews went to offer their offering and sacrifices. We are told that they offered their sacrifices to God and to them it was a means of worshiping God. They danced all the way through. Psalm 137.
But today people have become so tactical and persuasive to the fact that if you give anything to God, then you qualify to be the child of God. May be its right or may be its wrong.
Allow me to now look at how the Macedonian Church together with how some faithful servants gave to God.
Abraham offered to God the best and the only son by faith as a form or way of being obedient to God. Gen 22: 1-19
Daniel offered himself to God together with his brothers Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego to the point of subjecting themselves and their lives to torture yet God did not allow them to die in the hands of their enemy. Dan 6: and Dan 3
Macedonian Church first offered themselves to God. You can not just remain to be giving what you have without giving yourself to God and purport to be pleasing God in your giving.
Give yourself to God first. Thats why we are told that we first seek the kingdom of God and then all the other things will be added un to us Matt 6: 33.
They also gave with abundant joy even if they were afflicted.
They went beyond their ability.
They pleaded to be allowed to give more because they were more than willing to do so.
They gave freely and willingly.Remember the widow whose giving caught the attention of Jesus’ eyes. Luke 21.3
As we give to God, we should come not only cheerfully but even while dancing. This is because we know that both us and everything we have belongs to God.
As we come to contribute in the fundraising today, we are honoring God as in Haggai 1:8 and we are invited to participate in the divine task which is building God Sanctuary.
If you want to invoke God into your life, offer yourself first to God.
If you want to invoke God into your life, give while dancing and praising God for this is the best kind of worship God wants.
Let’s give joyfully and go beyond our means.
God bless us all
