Week Four – Day 7
DAY OF CELEBRATION AND REST
Devotional:
Think with me for a moment. When was the last time you said to yourself, “I want to be a great giver”? Where is it listed on your “bucket list” to do something so generous that it would make the biggest difference you possibly could? How often do you think about how you could be a blessing? When is the last time you made someone else’s dream come true? How could your little sacrifice reap huge rewards and benefits for someone less fortunate?
Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.” Is it possible that the extent of my giving is a test of my sincerity? In other words, if I really cared, wouldn’t I be doing something about it?
Often, I have heard people say, “If I won the lottery or came into a bunch of money, then I would give to this organization or I would do this to help others.” Every time I hear this I am tempted to ask what they are currently doing to assist with that need or organization. Without judgment, I am curious to their current investment. I simply have to believe that if our heart is broken for someone then we would do something now. We would be giving all our time and resources now. A $5 cup of coffee or cable television would gnaw at us, knowing that those funds could be better served elsewhere.
We are reminded of what Christ did for us. The kind of grace Jesus displayed for our impoverished situation. He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich. Let’s strive to excel in that kind of giving!
Prayer focus:
Pray for the 1 billion people around the world – a majority being women and chldren – who are undernourished.
Pray for nations which are starving – every 3.6 seconds a person dies from hunger-related causes.
Pray for people to have clean and safe drinking water- every 6 seconds a child dies from impure drinking water.
Key Scripture:
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” — 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV
