01-09-12 "Sacrifice; God's Pathway to Fruitfulness" II Corinthians 9:6-15

The passage I read was II Corinthians 9:6-15

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A6-15&version=NIV

The verse that most stood out to me:

⁹ As it is written:

   “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
   their righteousness endures forever.”

&

¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

As I reflect:

An interesting conversation my wife and I had on this topic.  We have for a long time considered tithes and offerings to be so much more infinite that just giving some cash to a church.  We consider our tithes and offerings any and everything that we lay down as a sacrifice willingly that the Lord may use it for others. 

In this passage, again the sower of seeds is referenced, as is the position of the heart.  When the wife and I sow our seeds, we don’t scatter them just anywhere in expectation that the Lord will honor that because we gave.  Instead, like the farmer sowing seeds, we choose fertile ground that we through prayer are led by the Holy Spirit to believe will produce good growth.  For instance, we have some friends that have poured their hearts out to others.  Even when they had very little, it was freely offered to those in more need than themselves.  Recently, these friends came into a place of need themselves, and it was so beautiful to see the way they reaped what was sown.  At every side, they received support.  They received financial assistance from those that could give, food assistance from those who could give food, transportation from those who could give transport, and spiritual assistance from those who could pray and give edifying word.  They poured their lives as a sacrifice for others not because someone told them they had to, but because they had a heart to help those in need.  And when the time came, we saw the Lord’s word true in their lives as they received a harvest that was plentiful. 

We have seen this very same dynamic in our own lives.  We have seen those who give a great deal of finance to the church grudgingly simply because it is their duty, and we have seen them struggle greatly in their own lives.  And we have seen and been a part of the opposite as well.  Where one was not at all concerned with how many seeds they had left to give, but rather focused on how many places there were left to plant.  Their harvest has always been great and their seeds continue to multiply.  We are a few who have also been able to receive a great harvest that continues to grow and our own hands seem to never be without more seed to plant. 

I hope that others praise God for our obedience that accompanies our confession of the gospel of Christ, just as we too praise God for other’s generosity in sharing with everyone else.  I think verse 9 and verse 15 summed up the passage well and that’s why they were chosen as the verses that most stood out to me in the passage.  Be a cheerful giver, but don’t do so out of duty, do so out of the need of others.  Be cheerful to supply their needs.  Be happy to give of yourself for the widow and the orphan. 

My response to the Lord:

Lord, I thank you for freely giving to us your Son, new hearts, and fruit that reflects your Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.  May you continue to use us greatly and even more so throughout the remainder of our lives here.  May you continue your work in our hearts and may we not forget that everything we have is yours and thusly freely give as led to do so by your Holy Spirit.  I hear 10% to the church so often.  But I pray instead that 100% to you be our only guideline.  In Jesus’ name.